He said the use of biodegradable products that could be composted to be implemented at the national level was agreed upon by the Cabinet with his ministry to be a pioneer in the effort.

"Polystyrene, conventional plastic bags and plastic straws produce chemicals that can threaten human health and are widely associated with environmental pollution.

"Hence, a campaign to educate communities, traders and the related agencies on the use of biodegradable materials will be aggressively implemented through the Federal Territories Green Technology Action Plan before it is made mandatory by 2020," he told reporters after opening the Seminar on the Co-ordination and Enforcement of Biodegradable Products in the Federal Territories here today.

The seminar, attended by about 300 participants, among others, was to raise awareness among the communities and industry players on the use of biodegradable products in order to make the city's landscape and environment plastic free and clean.

Meanwhile, Khalid said enforcement action would be imposed on manufacturers that were found to have misused the ministry’s logo by printing it on non-biodegradable plastic products.

He said that this was following complaints which were received that there were manufacturers and distributors who had done so and supplying unrecognised plastics to business premises around the capital.

"Since Sept 1, 2017, normal plastic products, oxo plastics and photo-biodegradable plastics are not allowed at all and only biodegradable plastic products that are certified by Sirim can be used.

"We take this matter seriously by conducting inspections at manufacturing companies from time to time and action will be taken if they are found using the ministry’s logo and Sirim certification on plastics which are not permitted," he said.