The Sabah Environmental Action Committee (EAC) collected about RM217,000 from the sale of plastic bags last year during the 'No Plastic Bag' campaign day.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun said although the amount was beneficial for the state's environment efforts, it also showed that most people were not supporting the campaign.

"It is not because the people are not aware of the damages plastic bags can do to the environment, but they are just too lazy to care," he said at the launch of Zero Plastic products, here, today.

The 'No Plastic Bag' campaign was launched in March 2010 to discourage people from using plastic bags when shopping every Monday and was eventually extended to every Saturday and Sunday.

However, customers who want plastic bags from the shopping outlets are charged 20 sen for each.

    

Masidi also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the producer of Zero Plastic products, Maribumi Starchtech Sdn Bhd and MB Enviro-Healers which was appointed to distribute the products in Sabah and

Labuan.

Maribumi group managing director MR Sivagiri said the products, which included carrier bags and packaging materials, were made from starch and did not contain petroleum, the main ingredient of conventional plastic.

He said the products were 100 per cent biodegradable, taking 120 to 200 days to break down.

MB Enviro-Healers proprietor Mohammad Iskandar Shah Ali said the distribution of the bags would contribute to reducing the use of plastic bags to protect the environment.

He hoped Maribumi would also consider producing organic carrier bags that could sustain heat, especially for food outlet operators.

- Bernama