IPOH — The Perak state government will offer incentives to both local and foreign producers of biodegradable products expanding their operations in the state, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

So far nine companies including one foreign company have expanded their operations here, bringing with them more than RM1.6 billion in investments.

“The green technology field is growing in importance and various parties are headed in the direction to ensure that the world’s climate remains protected.

“The care of the environment is needed to ensure that it stays within the development…we all want progress but at the same time we need to take care of the surrounding environment,” he said during the signing of an agreement here today between the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP) and Return 2 Green Sdn Bhd for a proposed “Biodegradable Packaging Products” project here.

The deal is for the setting up of 18 factories under a vendor scheme for the production of non-plastic food packaging products made from padi husks and banana trunks.

Zambry said with such products, Perak would be able to transform into a green state with a lower level of carbon dioxide emission.

“This could also become a poverty eradication programme for the farmers in the chain who are producing the green industry products….all the materials that cannot be used and previously burnt up can be now supplied to the factories that are going to produce (the biodegrable products),” he said.

The first factory to start with the biodegradable packaging products will be opened at the Kampung Acheh Industrial Estate in Lumut with an investment of RM6 million.

The state government is taking the initiative to implement the project as part of efforts to minimise the management of waste products and to also manage its land.

It is to also support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s target of reducing the country’s CO2 emission by 40 per cent as pledged at the Copenhagen Summit in 2009, he added.

— BERNAMA