Balikpapan Officially Limits the Use of Disposable Plastic Bags
3 July 2018 12:54 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - City of Balikpapan in East Kalimantan has officially commenced its latest policy on limiting the use of disposable plastic bags available in retail shops and general shopping areas regulated under Mayor’s Decree No. 8/2018.
Balikpapan Mayor Rizal Effendi explained that the regulation was introduced mainly to reduce plastic waste. This is the second city that has officially limited its plastic consumption after Banjarmasin.
“This is one of Balikpapan’s commitment toward the environment in the midst of society’s addiction towards plastic bags. We truly hope that people would start to come to their senses and change their lifestyle,” said Rizal today on Tuesday, July 3.
The policy is currently limiting plastic use in retail stores, but will then continue to spread to the use of plastic bags at traditional markets where the use of plastic bags are equally high.
The introduction of this policy means that retail stores in Balikpapan can no longer provide disposable plastic bags. Customers will have to bring their own reusable shopping bags from now on. Rizal explained that there are penalties that will sanction retail stores that violate the Mayor’s Decree.
“The penalty will be given gradually starting from a non-written warning up to revoking the stores permit to operate,” said the Mayor.
In its first day, Mayor Rizal conducted a sudden control at a Hypermart outlet located in Plaza Balikpapan. The Mayor said that he can no longer see cashiers offering or supplying its customers with any form of disposable plastic bags.
ANTARA