IPOH, July 19 -- The government needs to study various options to deal with the plastic waste problem as burning waste in any form has adverse effects, says Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president Meenakshi Raman.

Meenakshi said that the government must not be deluded by these false solutions and instead take measures to prohibit the burning of plastic waste, whether in waste incinerators, cement kilns, make-shift furnaces or plastic-to-fuel operations.

"This is because the plastic waste burned will result in toxic emissions and toxic ashes which further spreads harm to the environment and threaten public health," she said, in a statement.

On Wednesday, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the government is looki...