Survey: 87pct of Malaysians support cutting plastic production

 

A new Greenpeace International report has revealed that nearly nine out of 10 Malaysians support cutting plastic production to combat pollution ahead of upcoming negotiations for a global plastics treaty.

In a survey of 1,000 Malaysians nationwide, the environmental group discovered strong public backing for measures to end single-use plastics and promote reusable solutions.

Compared to the global poll across 19 countries with 19,088 respondents, Malaysians demonstrated notably stronger support for the objectives, with 87 percent of Malaysians surveyed wanting plastic production reduced to fight pollution, higher than the global 82 percent.

“The resounding support for reducing plastic production is a wake-up call to industries and policymakers. It’s time to shift from a throwaway culture to a reuse and refill economy, where products are designed for reuse and longevity - not disposability.

“Scaling back production is a vital step towards a more sustainable future and we have to act quickly,” said Greenpeace Malaysia public engagement campaigner Hema Mahadevan.

It also found that 86 percent of Malaysians support reducing plastic to protect biodiversity and address climate change, versus 80 percent globally.

Some 95 percent of Malaysians endorse transitioning from single-use plastic packaging to reusable alternatives, higher than the global 90 percent, while 76 percent support banning single-use plastic packaging, slightly above the global 75 percent, Greenpeace said.

The majority of Malaysians at 90 percent are concerned about the health impacts of plastic on loved ones, and 93 percent of Malaysian parents worry about the effects on children, higher than global levels, the survey showed.

Cutting 75pct by 2040

The findings reinforce calls for government action and support for a robust plastics treaty. 

With Malaysian sentiments showing a significantly stronger desire for proactive anti-pollution measures compared to global averages, there is a pressing need for policy intervention aligned with public opinion, the group said.

Greenpeace is demanding the treaty cut total plastic production by at least 75 percent by 2040 to protect biodiversity and limit global temperature rise below 1.5°C.

The environmental group urges the government to champion stronger policies at upcoming negotiations in Ottawa and Busan.

The research was conducted by Censuswide, from a sample of 19,088 members of the public in the UK, US, Canada, India, Brazil, Egypt, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, China, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Austria, and Norway.

In Malaysia, the survey was conducted among 1,000 respondents in 17 cities. The data was collected between February 16 and 24. - Mkini