E-commerce sellers: Green packaging costly, less durable

The Star

a day ago

Nur Basirah prefers using plastic to pack her 'kuih chang' based on the material's durability and cost, and its ability to keep her products from being damaged in transit.
Some e-commerce sellers in Malaysia are not using sustainable packaging, citing their cost and lack of durability.
Kuih chang (sticky rice dumpling) seller Nur Basirah Chu Abdullah, who is based in Ampang, Selangor, told StarMetro that biodegradable protective packaging made of paper, cornstarch and banana fibre were unsuitable for her products.
Nur Basirah: Biodegradable packaging not enough to protect products.
'Biodegradable protective packaging made of paper is not durable enough to protect kuih chang.
'Parcels tend to get thrown about during delivery, so I need stronger material to keep the kuih chang safe from damage.
'Though cornstarch is sturdier, I still would not use it, because plastic is cheaper,' she said.
Nur Basirah uses plastic vacuum packs and bubble wrap for her products as she claims the materials help preserve the quality of kuih chang.
Likewise, Sekinchan-based Men in Fish chief executive officer Datuk Chia Choon Theng said there was simply no better alternative to plastic for his products.
'Besides being convenient, plastic packaging can also preserve the freshness and cleanliness of our products,' he said.
On the other hand, Persatuan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Rajesh Nagarajan said sustainable packaging materials such as recyclable bio-plastic, hemp bags and paper had not been given a chance to prove their durability.
'Use of these materials is still minimal and insufficient to encourage more studies on their actual sturdiness,' he said.
He urged the government to impose tax on products with non-environmentally friendly packaging to discourage its use.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia honorary secretary Mageswari Sangaralingam said the use of sustainable materials such as bamboo, mushroom-based packaging or recyclable paper could help reduce deforestation and depletion of natural resources.
'Sustainable packaging supports responsible sourcing and promotes reuse and repurposing, creating a system where materials are continuously recycled instead of discarded.
'Biodegradable and compostable packaging materials could also help reduce waste that ends up in landfills or being incinerated, as they break down naturally,' she said.
She also urged the government to offer tax benefits or subsidies for businesses that adopt sustainable practices.
'Having extended producer responsibility (ERP) legislation could also hold producers accountable for the environmental impact of their packaging, driving businesses to design more sustainable packaging and delivery systems,' added Mageswari. — By LEW GUAN XI