Category: Environment EN

Starbucks’ plastic single-use cups it often serves in US cafes are not as recyclable as the company claims, an environmental nonprofit group says. Starbucks had in February announced that its polypropylene cold-beverage cups were considered "widely recyclable" in the US. The cups prominently feature a recycling icon and are depicted as recyclable on in-store recycling bins. But new findings...

The recent effort to update the Malaysia Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance, a classification system for projects based on environmental and social criteria, falls short of adequately protecting forests, biodiversity and safeguarding the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) took part in the public consultation on the draft Malaysia Taxonomy for...

"Every year, humans produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste, including 11 million tonnes that eventually wind up in the ocean. By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean," warns the United Nations. Humanity has an enormous trash problem. According to reports, we produce 2 billion tons of trash a year. Nature produces zero. In the natural world, waste doesn’t exist. When a...

With chemical contamination becoming a serious concern, groups have urged the government to set clear safety guidelines on what are known commonly as “forever chemicals”. These chemicals, or PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are a group of over 10,000 synthetic, human-made chemicals used since the 1940s to make products water, grease and stain-resistant. The chemicals do not break...

Trees are very important to our lives. To be without trees is like to be without our roots, writes environmental writer Richard Mabey. Much like roots are to a tree, trees are the fundamental anchor, foundation, and source of life for humanity. Trees bring us many benefits, among them are providing us with more rain, more shade - and more life. MORE RAIN. Trees suck water from the soil through...

Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) threatens a just transition from fossil fuels and the urgent need for a social and ecological transformation for people and the planet. Over 300 organisations – including Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia – are calling on countries to begin building a coalition of countries committed to freeing themselves from ISDS. Read their...

How Buildings Contribute to Climate Change – and What Can Be Done about it The building and construction industry is a big emitter of planet-warming greenhouse gases, according to the latest UNEP and Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction report. The amount of building floor space is expected to double by 2050, with many of the additions coming in developing and emerging economies....

Malaysia's growing microplastics crisis is largely self-inflicted, driven by domestic waste, weak recycling practices and everyday plastic use, said experts. Universiti Sains Malaysia marine scientist Professor Datuk Dr Aileen Tan said the issue was no longer a future risk, but an ongoing environmental crisis affecting marine ecosystems and seafood. "The key point is that we are not anticipating...

Malaysians are in danger of ingesting up to 2,016 microplastic particles a year through fish consumption, with higher exposure among coastal communities, said the Fisheries Department. Fish is a key pathway for human exposure to microplastics, particularly in countries with high seafood intake such as Malaysia, where they are an important source of protein. Fisheries Department director-general...

The recent escalation in global oil prices, driven in part by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the West Asia, has contributed to an increase in the cost of plastic production. As most conventional plastics are derived from petroleum-based feedstocks, fluctuations in oil prices can significantly influence the cost of plastic packaging materials, which are widely used across the retail and food...