karrwei@thestar.com.my
Photo by SHAHRUL FAZRY ISMAIL
CUSTOMERS doing their Saturday morning shopping at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail wet market in Kuala Lumpur last week were greeted with samples of biodegradable food packaging.
“We want people to know that there are alternatives in the market for styrofoam products. We all have a responsibility towards the environment. Whenever people don’t bring their own containers, biodegradable ones can be provided,” said Douglas Tan, Greatpac Sdn Bhd senior manager, who handles the company’s Jasa Eco biodegradable foam products.
He said the Jasa Eco foam takeaway containers and plates were similar in consistency as regular styrofoam containers and were oil-and water-proof.
The difference is that they are broken down at a quicker rate after they are disposed.
Here you go: Tan handing out reusable bags with biodegradable foam products to customers at the Taman Tun wet market.
“Regular products may take more than 500 years to break down because they repel microbes but our products will break down between two to five years, which is a vast improvement,” he said.
In terms of costs, Tan said that each piece of takeaway container costs about 5sen more than the regular foam ones, which costs about 5sen each.
“The amount has a small impact on customers but a big impact on the environment as we need to combat the waste problem. We introduced our product in Penang and the response is very encouraging,” he said.
Besides marketing their products to hawkers and commercial food businesses, Tan said that their products were now available at selected hypermarkets and those interested could also purchase it directly from them.
The company also produces a range of utensils like forks and spoons that were made from a corn starch resin instead of plastic.
For more information, visit www.jasa-eco.com
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