Single use plastic (SUP) is a hazard to the environment. However, did you know that plastic was ironically first created to benefit the environment? The first plastic was invented by John Wesley Hyatt in the late 19th century to imitate ivory, during a time when the growing popularity of billiards had put pressure on the natural ivory supply. Plastic became a cheaper and more readily available substitute.

Plastic has been so deeply woven into our lives due to its durability, malleability, and waterproof plus lightweight properties. However, humans grew to rely on SUP, which were designed to be disposed of after single use. Despite the long-term detrimental effects of SUP, we tend to overlook them for the convenience they provide.

The Ministry of Environment and Water released the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 in late 2021, which highlights strategies and action plans to steer the country towards a sustainable plastic economy.

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The Roadmap emphasises a circular economy for plastics. This means redesigning plastic products to be reused and repaired instead of becoming waste at the end of their life cycle. This cradle-to-cradle approach ensures that more problematic plastics are phased out upfront and that unavoidable plastic waste is minimised.