fbpx

Environmental Rangers♻️

Single Usage of Plastic Bag 🚮

Single-use disposable plastics waste was accumulation in recent year and ends up in landfills, dumps or in the open environment. Single-use plastics are intended to be used only once before they are thrown away, which result a major environmental issues in Malaysia where it has been ranked as 8th among the top ten countries with mismanaged plastic waste in the world. Malaysia aims to address single-use plastics by encouraging the plastic industry to transition to eco-friendly products.

Towards zero single-use plastics for a cleaner and healthier environment in Malaysia by 2030

Challenges Before Us

  • Lack of Awareness

The problem of plastic waste in Malaysia is driven by the habit of littering and unsustainable consumption habits

  • Low Recycling Rate

Due to focusing on high value recycle materials, only waste materials like transparent PET bottles are being recycled in mass volume. Other waste materials (i.e.food packaging, polystyrene products and straws) that do not have recycling value are almost never recycled due to lack of technology or business viability.Besides that,the local recyclers are challenged to ensure the sustainability and quality of raw materials

  • Biodegradability and Cost of Current Alternative to Plastics

The current biodegradable alternatives are higher in price than plastics. This factor does not encourage businesses to embrace alternative products

  • Enforcement

Given the ubiquitous nature of single-use plastics and its huge usage, enforcement especially at local levels would pose some challenges

  • Integrated Waste Management

This integrated approach could act as a catalyst for waste to wealth interventions by creating downstream industries such as fertiliser, energy, and the animal feed industry

Action Plan

Environmental groups have reacted to the government’s decision to extend the 20sen plastic bag charge to all types of business premises in 2022, by calling for a complete ban on the use of plastic bags. Each state has started to have ‘No Plastic Bag’ campaign in each week as it was a way to protect the environment. However, the implementation of the policy needed support from traders and local authorities, who will be monitoring the campaign to make it successful.
Many restaurants in Malaysia have stopped handing out straws unless they were specifically requested by customers. Plastic straws are very harmful to the environment as they are hard to recycle, aren’t biodegradable and they (obviously) threaten our marine life.
When used up a container, make sure to clean it​ up​ and if you can’t repurpose, recycle. Find out where you can take them after the isolation. If you don’t know where to start, your city will have information that ​might​ help you. Reusing plastics are good ways to prevent you from buying more needless plastics.
Malaysia is returning 42 shipping containers of illegally imported plastic waste to the UK, its environment minister has announced. The UK government said it received a request from Malaysian authorities last year to repatriate the waste and some containers had already arrived back.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: “We continue to work with the shipping lines and Malaysian authorities to ensure all waste is brought back as soon as possible.”

He added the government was also “working hard to stop illegal waste exports from leaving our shores in the first place”. The authorities hope to send back another 110 containers by the middle of 2020 – with 60 of those going to the US.

The plastic you use once tortures the oceans forever

Environmental Courses in UK Universities

University of Birmingham

  • Environmental Science BSc (Hons)

The Environmental Science BSc degree is designed around three key themes – understanding environmental processes and systems; investigating changes and impacts; and enabling their prediction and mitigation.

Manchester Metropolitan University

  • BSc (Hons) Environmental Science

The course combines aspects of physical and life sciences, helping you build an understanding of environmental issues today.

You’ll also gain a wide range of practical and analytical skills, working in the lab and the field. By the time you graduate, you’ll be able to collect, process, and analyse data from a range of sources across different scientific disciplines – giving you the understanding to make informed recommendations in a professional context.

Bournemouth University

  • BSc (Hons) Environmental Science

The degree has been developed to give you a solid overview in the discipline of environmental science, as well as looking at how humans shape the world around us and humanity can tackle the issues arise from this.

In addition to covering specialist theory, the degree’s highly practical element seeks to equip you with a host of transferable skills essential for finding employment after you graduate, or alternatively, for progressing on to Masters courses and completing further research.

University of East Anglia

  • BSc Environmental Sciences

You’ll gain important field skills and have the chance to put them into practice on field trips to locations such as Spain, Ireland or Greece, as well as the UK. Upon graduation you will be well equipped to follow one of a wide range of environmental careers or use your skills to pursue other graduate opportunities.

University of the West of England

  • BSc(Hons)Environmental Science

BSc(Hons) Environmental Science brings together knowledge from a variety of fields to give you a deep understanding of the environmental challenges facing the world today.

Through a practical, hands-on approach that runs through all the modules, you’ll gain exposure to the skills and technology employed at the forefront of environmental science.

Carry out your own investigations in our specialist labs, and use the latest mapping software in our dedicated computer suite.
 

Newcastle University

  • Environmental Science BSc Honours

Biology and geography are an important part of this degree, to help you to understand the processes within ecosystems and how we can manage our natural resources effectively.

You will also study chemistry, physics and geology as applied to the study of the environment. Topics cover a wide range of subjects, from plant biology and ecology, to sustainability and environmental law.

You’ll learn about the role of social and economic factors, ethics and public perception in environmental management.
 

Decrease the use of the plastic, increase the age of mother Earth🌏

Together we can heal the Planet🗺️

Get in touch with PDVL if you have any enquiry regarding study abroad✈️

REFERENCES :https://www.mestecc.gov.my/web/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Malaysia-Roadmap-Towards-Zero-Single-Use-Plastics-2018-20302.pdf

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/10/28/ban-plastic-bag-usage-completely

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/06/494972/perak-propose-3-days-week-no-plastic-bag-campaign https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51176312

https://www.mmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/bsc-environmental-science-with-option-to-study-overseas/

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/gees/environmental-science.aspx

https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/study/courses/bsc-hons-environmental-science

https://www2.uea.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/degree/detail/bsc-environmental-sciences?_ga=2.232221980.2002038380.1591771295-1925413710.1591771295

https://courses.uwe.ac.uk/f900/environmental-science

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/f850/

https://www.plantbasednews.org/culture/shocking-campaign-tortured-animals-fight-ocean-plastic-pollution

UK Higher Education: Reopening Guidance

This article is help providers of higher education in England to understand how to minimise risk during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and provide services to students. From 4 July, where 2 metres social distancing is not viable, reducing the distance down to a minimum of 1 metre can be used but only if appropriate mitigation is in place.

Principles for higher education provision

All higher education providers should share the same practice so that there is a consistent approach to reopening that puts the health and safety of all students and staff at its priority:

  • Accommodation for all students who need to be on site should be recommended to minimise any coronavirus (COVID-19) risk
  • Students in residential settings (halls of residence or houses of multiple occupation): this guidance on isolation for residential educational settings may be helpful
  • International students who may have returned home: when reopening settings you should pay particular attention to those international students who have returned home and have been unable to return to the UK. You should ensure that they receive adequate teaching provision, exams and other core elements of the learning experience
  • All students who may have been released from accommodation contracts and would have nowhere to stay if needed on campus

Reopening laboratories

Guidance on Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19), including in laboratories and research facilities. The same considerations might apply to laboratory science teaching as well, if it can be done in a way that reduces risks to those using the facilities.
Health and Safety Executive should carry out a risk assessment to assess the risk of (COVID-19) and the need to protect people who are at a higher risk to improve control of workplace risks if needed.

Reopening other buildings

It may be appropriate to consider reopening low-density buildings first as a phased way of extending access to the campus while safeguarding the needs of staff and students. Libraries can open from 4 July in a COVID-secure way. Libraries Connected has drawn up guidance for public libraries to support reopening that will also be relevant for university libraries.

Social distancing on campus

University Campus
Risk assessments should be conducted in the forthcoming academic year in order to understand:

  • the number of students and staff likely to be included in a learning space and how they can be accommodated as safely as possible
  • the availability of staff, including contingency plans should individuals be shielding (until 1 August, but refer to public health guidance for updates) or self-isolating
  • supporting services required in increasing the number of individuals on-site (for example, catering) and how they can be provided as safely as possible
  • what measures in addition to those that have already been undertaken during the current outbreak will need to be in place to accommodate additional numbers (including additional cleaning required of spaces and equipment following use)

Higher Education should implement a range of protective measures including increased cleaning, reducing ‘pinch points’ (such as at the start and end of day), and utilising outdoor space. Beside that, they should ensure that they understand the NHS Test and Trace process and how to contact their local Public Health England health protection team.

Identify the appropriate mix of online and face-to-face lecture, reflecting what will maximise learning as well as supporting staff or students who cannot attend campus, and enabling the provider as a whole to minimise transmission risk.

The public health guidance is to reduce social contact, maintain social distance, adopt good hand and respiratory hygiene measures and to self-isolate and get tested if you have symptoms.

Transport

Some Uni may also arrange transport. Student will therefore want to have regard to the guidance for passengers and operators. The current advice is to avoid using public transport, and aim to walk, cycle or drive instead. If using public transport is necessary, wearing a face covering is mandatory, unless you are exempt for health, disability or other reasons:
 

International students and self-isolation

University Campus

Uni and students will need to have regard to guidance that relates to residents or visitors travelling to the UK, who will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and complete a contact detail declaration from 8 June 2020.

Staff and student wellbeing

University Campus

The Minister of State for Universities, Michelle Donelan, wrote to the OfS and HE providers in March to highlight a need to focus on mental health and wellbeing across HE.
Govt will continue to work closely with the HE sector to promote good practice and support students and providers during the outbreak. HE providers are autonomous bodies, independent from government and have a responsibility to support students with mental health conditions.

Should you need further information regarding application, please contact PDVL via chatbox.

REFERENCE : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses#introduction