The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.116)

The Earth in crisis Our reliance on plastic has resulted in extensive environmental damage. Global temperatures are soaring to unprecedentedly high levels and glaciers are melting at worrying rates. What does the future hold for mankind? O n a quiet weekday morning at the Jing- Si Books & Café outlet in Tropicana City Mall, we were taking in the serene atmosphere, accentuated by the rich aroma of freshly- brewed coffee wafting through the air and calming instrumental music playing softly in the background. Our guest of the day, Dr Theng Lee Chong, entered the premises in quick strides and readied himself for our conversation on plastic waste and its toxic effects on the environment. Dr Theng, an expert in environmental conservation and waste management, promptly flipped open his laptop to display a series of data from his recent research findings. The statistics showed that Malaysians used a total of 3 billion plastic bags between 2016 and 2017. Another set of figures revealed that kitchen waste occupies 45 percent of the refuse disposed of in landfills, while a portion of the remaining 55 percent of refuse takes hundreds or even millions of years to decompose. The resulting residue from the decomposition process is diffused by rainwater and seeps into the soil, contaminating groundwater supply; some of the residue flows directly into the sea. The consequences of this continuous cycle of pollution and environmental damage are ultimately borne by mankind. Dr Theng acknowledged that single-use plastics are a major source of pollution that poses a significant threat to the environment. For instance, in addition to disposable party cups and plates made of non-recyclable composite materials, Malaysians discard 4 billion pieces of diapers yearly, contributing to thedelugeof single- use plastic products that cannot be recycled. “We should avoid using not only plastic bags and straws, but also any disposable items. Our future generations will suffer the consequences if we fail to adequately enforce environmental conservation measures,” he cautioned. Biodegradable plastic bags are now widely used in the retail sector, yet Dr Theng has his reservations. “Some types of biodegradable plastic are processed from corn or tapioca starch. In other words, the raw materials used in producing biodegradable plastic are derived from edible sources,” noted Dr Theng. However, the 2019 Global Report on Food Crises released by the United Nations (UN) stated that approximately 100 million people across 53 countries worldwide are suffering from acute hunger as of 2018, compelling Dr Theng to question whether the practice of directing plant- based sources to the manufacture of plastic products is justifiable in the face of a global food crisis. In addition, impurities in plastic – as is the case with biodegradable plastic – complicate the recycling process and disrupt the systematic order of plastic recycling procedures. He is also wary of the feasibility of replacing plastic straws with paper-based ones due to the lack of food safety certification for the latter. Moreover, paper straws are coated with a layer of wax to make them water-resistant. This TZU CHI 116 11 Pulling the Plug on Plastics