Month: January 2025
Mercury Cosmetics are a Toxic Menace to Health and the Environment
Despite a global ban, Philippines toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition continues to uncover the illegal use of mercury in unauthorised imported products for lightening skin tone and for removing age spots, dark marks, freckles, wrinkles and other dermal problems. This January, which is celebrated as the Zero Waste Month, the group announced the detection of 584 parts per million (ppm) of...
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THE BANK ACCOUNT OF LIFE
(A wisdom story) Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course. Each of us has such a bank, its name is Time. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every...
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Adopt Zero Tolerance for Road Crashes
The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urges the Ministry of Transport to implement stricter safety measures nationwide to reduce road crashes during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Recently, there has been a concerning increase in road accidents involving heavy vehicles. In 2024 alone, there were 825 fatal accidents involving such vehicles in just 10 months. It is crucial to recognize...
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Ensuring Fair Access: Moving from Blanket to Targeted Fuel Subsidies in Malaysia
Malaysia’s blanket fuel subsidy system, though designed to provide universal benefits, has inefficiencies and unintended consequences. This system, exemplified by subsidies for RON95 petrol and diesel, extends benefits indiscriminately, including to foreign entities and higher-income households, while facilitating activities like smuggling. These issues underscore the urgent need for a...
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Toxic Bisphenols in Textiles
Recent findings from laboratory tests conducted by Arnika, dTest, and consumer associations from Hungary, Austria, and Slovenia revealed the presence of harmful bisphenols in textiles, particularly in women's underwear, prompting European consumer organisations to advocate for an EU-wide ban on these chemicals. The study analysing 166 samples from five European countries found that approximately...
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Ministry of Health Orders Halt to Sales of Apple S Candies for Containing Banned Substance
The Ministry of Health has ordered a halt to the sale of Apple S brand candies as they have been found to contain sibutramine, a substance used to suppress appetite. Sibutramine is a chemical compound that acts on the brain as an appetite suppressant and is commonly used in weight management products. The Ministry of Health (MOH) issued a statement today, confirming that sibutramine is a...
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STOP EXPORT OF MERCURY FILLINGS, 16 NGOs URGE AUSTRALIA
16 NGOs from Asia and the Pacific – including Consumers’ Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia – recently signed a petition to the federal government of Australia to ban dental amalgam exports as of 1 April 2025. (https://www.dropbox.com/.../16-civil-society-petitioners...) Civil society organizations in Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, México, Philippines,...
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Go Organic: Stop Using Plastic Mulch
In conjunction with the International Zero Waste Month (IZWM), the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) would like to raise awareness on the effects of plastic mulching in farming and urges farmers and gardeners to use organic mulching methods. This year’s IZWM focuses on innovative organic waste management solutions to reduce food loss, waste, and methane emissions. Mulch is a layer of...
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TRY LIFESTYLE MEDICINE
When your doctor offers you pills, ask about recipes and exercise plans. Sometimes they work better! In non-life-threatening situations, a healthful diet, movement, sleep, and stress management may bring greater returns with fewer side effects. Even if you still need a medicine, lifestyle helps! Source: @DrKristieLeong
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