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Students Campaign for Eco-friendly Food Packaging in Malaysia
Inspired by the activities and energy present during the first East Asian Seas Youth Forum held in 2006, two delegates from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) returned to their country with firm commitments to live up to the core principle of the Youth Agenda for the East Asian Seas, which is to "Empower = Inform x Inspire x Involve." Mervin Low and Mahfuzah binti Othman, with the support of faculty and friends, initiated the revival of Kelab Alam Sekitar (KAS), an environmental club in USM. KAS, together with USM’s Corporate and Sustainable Development Division, other student organizations and the support of the school administration, launched the "White Coffin" campaign, which led to USM becoming the first university in Malaysia to ban the use of polystyrene food containers on the campus, and use eco-friendly packaging.
The campaign proactively addressed the potential risks brought by the use of polystyrene containers and proposed to ban its use in the cafeteria. A signature campaign was launched on 17 December 2007 until 4 January 2008. Around 2,000 students signed up on the A5-sized cardboard carrying “The White Coffin” artwork designed by Mervin Low. The cardboard also promoted 10 tips to go 'green' and alternatives to using polystyrene on campus.
On 7 January, USM's Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, led the launch of the USM Health Cafeteria and an eco-friendly food packaging made from the production waste of palm oil. A visit to the cafeteria followed to get feedback from students and cafeteria operators together with the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Student Development and Affairs Association, Prof. Dr. Omar Osman, officers and lecturers, as well as student representatives.
The campaign also paved the way for renewed interest in KAS, with new members reaching 500. The objective of the club is to create and increase awareness on the importance of the environment and to involve students in environmental activities. Another goal is to contribute to USM's efforts towards sustainable development and to support the "University in a Garden" concept designed by USM "to depict the close affinity between its role and function as an institution of higher learning and nature amidst a garden setting."
In Malaysia, the most popular food packaging is polystyrene containers and plastic. Polystyrene containers are nonbiodegradable and studies show that there are harmful side effects when it migrates from the containers onto food, primarily from leaching caused by heat. Benzene, a material used in the production of polystyrene, is a known carcinogen and poses potential risk to human health.
USM was recently featured in The Star, a major newspaper in Malaysia, for banning the use of polystyrene food containers in the cafeteria.
By Mahfuzah binti Othman, Vice President I of Kelab Alam Sekitar (KAS) and one of the participants in the first EAS Youth Forum held in PR China in 2006.
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