Kuala Lumpur, 19 June 2017 – In an effort to encourage consumers in Kuala Lumpur to reduce plastic bag usage, the Department of Drainage and Irrigation (DID) Malaysia in partnership with Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan and Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur and supported by Global Environment Centre (GEC) gave away free reusable food containers, grocery items and flavoured drinks to those who were spotted packing their food using recyclable food containers and bags.
The awareness campaign is one of several River of Life Public Outreach Programme (ROLPOP) activities, aimed at combating the water pollution crisis plaguing the Klang River. Running from 14-18 June, the campaign lasted for 5 days.
Information about the ROLPOP campaign was spread through local community representatives, social media, radio stations, instant messaging applications and on-site announcements. The announcements were directed at encouraging the public to participate and lend their support to the campaign.
“Plastic bags are one of the main pollutants of the Klang River. This is because they can easily be blown away from rubbish bins and along road sites. During downpours, these plastic bags end up being swept away and into the river. As a result, the river’s aesthetic and water quality is devastatingly impacted,” said GEC Director, Faizal Parish.
Faizal also mentioned that in the spirit of Ramadhan, we as a society should not only think of reducing food wastage but also care for our rivers and environment.
“I sincerely hope that this campaign will help reduce the high levels of waste accumulated at Ramadan Bazaars. I am of the view that ROLPOP serves as a good platform to spread river conservation messages among patrons and traders alike,” quips Faizal.
