PETALING JAYA: KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has added several criteria to its licensing requirements for businesses, aimed at making Kuala Lumpur a plastic-free city.

DBKL said in a statement on Friday (Feb 21) that the new criteria includes the ban on polystyrene and one-time-use plastic products.

This is to be replaced with biodegradable and compostable products.

Operators can also charge 20 sen on biodegradable packaging that has Sirim's Eco-001:2018 or Sirim Eco-009:2016 classification.

Meanwhile, plastic straws are totally banned.

Licensed operators who refuse to use biodegradable products and continue to use plastic straws will be fined or risked having their licences revoked.

DBKL said that action can be taken against offenders under the Local Government Act or Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur or Licensing Of Hawkers (Federal Territory Of Kuala Lumpur) By-laws 2016, Trade, Business and Industrial Licensing (Federal Territory Of Kuala Lumpur) By-laws 2016 and Licensing of Food Establishment (Federal Territory Of Kuala Lumpur) By-laws 2016.

''Operators who fail to adhere to the by-laws will be issued a compound of RM1,000 or have their deposits forfeited.

''They can also be fined not more than RM2,000 or jailed not more than one year and have their licences revoked,'' it said.

The initiative to use biodegradable products was started on Jan 1,2017, while the ban on plastic straws was implemented on Jan 1 this year.