Category: Environment EN

Nations struck a historic deal on Wednesday at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai to transition the global economy away from fossil fuels. But some delegations and environmental groups say it contains major loopholes that could keep oil, gas, and coal flowing indefinitely. Carbon Capture One of them is the inclusion of a phrase calling for accelerated deployment of carbon capture. Carbon...

The world is in environmental distress. Consumers Association of Malaysia (CAP) calls on Malaysians to be aware of the serious situation we are facing and take steps to slow the effects of global warming. Over the past years Malaysia had experienced extreme weather fluctuations resulting in the loss of lives and properties from severe floods and landslides, and also disrupting food production....

If you look at the bottom of any reusable plastic container today, you might see a label declaring it “BPA-free”. BPA (or Bisphenol A) is used to make polycarbonate, a hard plastic that looks and feels like glass but is light and nearly unbreakable and is present in many household products. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, and many scientists believe it can cause cancer and reproductive harm....

Malaysia is one of the top plastic polluters in the world. Reducing, repurposing and reusing are part of the country’s circular economy plan for managing plastic waste, along with recycling. However, the Malaysian recycling rate is sub-par, so reducing the amount of plastic waste going into landfills by any means is a good thing. The zero waste, or low-waste lifestyle of reusing, repurposing...

In March 2022, a global commitment was made to negotiate a comprehensive plastics treaty, addressing the entire life cycle of plastic. Now at the end of 2023, countries are still grappling with disagreements, particularly from "low-ambition" nations disputing fundamental terms like "plastics" and "life cycle." Despite some progress, such as increased support for tackling harmful additives, the...

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) went to SJK (C) Union on 6 December 2023 to give a talk on Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency. SJK (C) Union was classified as an eco-school, which made a lot of effort to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches. About 832 primary school students attended the talk. Saraswathi Devi Odian, an education officer from CAP, was the...

After talks stalled in Nairobi, it’s important to understand that we cannot recycle our way out of the plastics problem, says one environmental expert. Last year, 175 nations agreed to develop a legally binding agreement to tackle plastic pollution. One year from now, these countries will conclude negotiations for the world’s first international Plastics Treaty, which aims to stem the health...

More than 400 upper primary students from Standards 4-6 started their school day last Wednesday (29 November 2023) by listening to a talk on “Energy Saving and Conservation” by CAP. The session was very interactive – all the students were engaged in discussions and gave their opinions on greenhouse gases and the impact on climate change. #cap_ecp #cap_ecpschool #cap_ecpSKDK          ...

Microplastics, which can have toxic effects, are everywhere – even in Malaysia. Local research has found them to be present in marine animals (fish) and in rivers. In 2017, 2 Malaysian doctors began a study which tested 11 colon surgical specimens from patients for microplastics and found them to be present in all the specimens collected. International animal studies have found microplastics...

Most air-cons that Southeast Asians are buying are inefficient energy guzzlers, recent research has found. They may also be obsolete in the countries that are exporting them, according to a report by non-governmental organisation CLASP, which focuses on research and promotion of appliance efficiency and energy access. Some of the appliances also contain refrigerants with high global warming...