When losing money is winning: Selangor's plastic bag charges plummet

Shah Alam, August 12 — The Selangor Government's collection of plastic bag charges has experienced a consistent decline over the past three years, falling from RM13.35 million in 2023 to RM6.97 million in 2025. Public Health and Environment Exco Jamaliah Jamaluddin revealed that RM9.04 million was collected in 2024, resulting in a total collection of RM29.36 million from 2023 to 2025.

The significant decrease in collection, nearly halving, indicates a shift in consumer habits towards the use of reusable bags, aligning with the government's efforts to curb single-use plastic bag usage. According to Jamaliah, the decline in plastic bag charge collections signifies the success of the Plastic-Free Campaign and the Plastic Bag Charge Collection Programme in raising public awareness and promoting the adoption of reusable bags.

The state government believes that these initiatives have effectively communicated the importance of reducing single-use plastics.