PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
Tobacco Control Alliance: Asean plastic pollution treaty must address toxic cigarette filters
- Admin UKK
- Berita
KUALA LUMPUR: The United Nations has been urged to ban plastic-based cigarette filters by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (Seatca), as governments worldwide meet to negotiate a treaty on plastic pollution.
Seatca said the final round of negotiations in Geneva this week could either help Asean reverse the plastic pollution crisis or continue to pay US$10 billion (RM42 billion) to clean up toxic cigarette filters.
The regional health NGO added that Asean member states, except for Indonesia, are parties to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
According to Seatca, an estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded globally each year, with 460 billion of those in Asean. These butts are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic that breaks down slowly into harmful microplastics. They also contain more than 7,000 chemicals, including nicotine and heavy metals, that can leach into the environment and harm ecosystems.
Seatca called for the treaty to include a polluter-pays principle, making tobacco manufacturers financially responsible for filter pollution and cleanup. The group also said the treaty should reference the WHO's FCTC, reject industry influence, and ensure consistent alignment between environmental and public health policies. It also called for independent and industry-free public awareness campaigns and mandatory collection and disposal systems for tobacco product waste.
The group highlighted that while eco-friendly alternatives exist for products like straws and bags, there are no sustainable alternatives for cigarette filters.
It said that products marketed by the tobacco industry as "eco-filters" or "green butts" are misleading because they still release tar, nicotine, and heavy metals into the environment and often only break down under industrial composting conditions.
Seatca said these "greenwashing tactics" must not fool negotiators, and that the treaty should include a comprehensive ban on all types of cigarette filters, not just plastic ones.
The group added that filters, developed in the 1950s to ease public fears about the health effects of smoking, have failed to protect health.
NAYPYIDAW – Banjir monsun di bandar Myanmar yang dikuasai pemberontak di sempadan negara itu dengan China, meragut nyawa enam orang, kata jurucakap kumpulan bersenjata yang mengawal kawasan tersebut hari ini.
Pekan Laiza yang bersempadan dengan wilayah Yunnan melaporkan banjir kilat sejak awal Isnin lalu apabila air berlumpur setinggi pinggang mula mengalir melalui jalan.
Laiza merupakan kubu kuat Tentera Kemerdekaan Kachin (KIA), yang selama beberapa dekad menguasai wilayah etniknya sendiri dan muncul sebagai salah satu puak paling berkuasa dalam perang saudara Myanmar.
“Banyak air mengalir menuruni gunung ke sungai,” kata jurucakap KIA, Naw Bu.
“Aliran air terlalu deras dan memusnahkan kawasan sekitar sungai. Enam orang terbunuh dalam banjir dan 100 rumah musnah,” tambahnya.
Operasi menyelamat dimulakan hari ini tetapi terhalang oleh jalan raya yang tersekat.
“Semua jalan rosak dan musnah di beberapa kawasan,” kata seorang penduduk yang enggan namanya disiarkan atas sebab keselamatan. “Air naik secara tiba-tiba,” tambahnya.
Myanmar berada dalam musim tengkujuh ketika banjir harian menjadi perkara biasa.
Namun saintis berkata, kejadian cuaca berbahaya menjadi lebih kerap dan teruk di seluruh dunia akibat perubahan iklim yang didorong oleh manusia. – AFP
KUCHING (Aug 6): The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) today announced the successful conclusion of firefighting operations at three sites in Sarawak, which had been burning since the end of last month.
In a statement, the department said the operations involved two landfill sites and one agricultural fire.
“The first incident began on July 26 involving a pineapple plantation in Marudi. The blaze affected 80.15 hectares and was declared fully extinguished at 12.40pm today (Aug 6),” it said in a statement.
Bomba said based on monitoring conducted at the plantation, the fire was found to be completely extinguished due to heavy overnight rain which continued for most of today.
The second incident occurred at the former landfill site in Kampung Plaie, Kota Samarahan which began on July 27.
“The affected area measured 3.5 hectares, with firefighting operations officially declared over at 12pm,” it added.
The third and final active fire was at the Selalang landfill site in Sarikei which began on July 30.
The fire, which burned through 1.2 hectares of layered waste, was declared fully extinguished at 3.30pm.
Bomba said the operation there officially ended after it was determined that there were no remaining hotspots or risk of re-ignition.
6 OGOS 2025 - BERITA TGH HARI - EMPANGAN MADA: JUMLAH TAKUNGAN SEMASA TAHUN INI LEBIH TINGGI
- Admin UKK
- Berita
6 OGOS 2025 - BERITA TGH HARI - EMPANGAN MADA: JUMLAH TAKUNGAN SEMASA TAHUN INI LEBIH TINGGI
KANGAR: Persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Perlis hari ini diberitahu bahawa keluasan sawah terlibat banjir yang berlaku pada September hingga Disember tahun lepas di negeri berkenaan seluas 2,639.53 hektar melibatkan jumlah pampasan sebanyak RM780,146.28.
Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pertanian, Perladangan dan Kepenggunaan Perlis Razali Saad berkata semua pesawah terjejas telah menerima sepenuhnya bayaran bantuan ihsan menerusi Skim Tabung Bencana Tanaman Padi (TBTP).
“Pihak Kementerian Pertanian dan Keterjaminan Makanan (KPKM) telah memperkemas mekanisme pampasan sedia ada dalam kalangan pengusaha sawah itu menerusi Skim Takaful Tanaman Padi (STTP).
“Skim itu diuruskan oleh AgroCaptive Limited yang juga anak Syarikat Agrobank. Skim itu telah mengenal pasti 860 pengusaha sawah di negeri ini yang layak menerima pampasan STTP, khususnya pengusaha yang terlibat bencana banjir pada November dan Disember 2024 dan wajib berdaftar di bawah Skim Baja Padi Kerajaan Persekutuan (SBPKP),” katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian dalam sesi soal jawab pada persidangan itu di Kompleks Seri Putra di sini hari ini, bagi menjawab soalan Wan Zikri Afthar Ishak (PN-Tambun Tulang) yang ingin tahu status pengusaha sawah padi yang terkesan banjir bagi tempoh itu dan mengenai pembayaran bantuan atau pampasan.
Razali berkata di bawah STTP, pesawah terlibat layak menerima pampasan pada kadar RM1,500 per hektar bagi peringkat umur padi bawah 50 Hari Lepas Tabur (HLT) dan sehingga kini proses pembayaran pampasan melalui skim itu masih dalam peringkat semakan serta kelulusan pihak Agrobank dengan bayaran pampasan akan terus dimasukkan ke dalam akaun penerima. - Bernama