30th September 2006

Yang Mulia,
Awang Hj Abdul Salam bin POKPS DP Hj Hashim,
Director of Administration & Services
Ministry of Education,
Bandar Seri Begawan, BB3510
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

RE: PLASTIC AND POLYSTYRENE FOR FOOD PACKAGING IN SCHOOL

CANTEENS

We are undergraduates at Universiti Brunei Darussalam currently taking PS3403: A

Multidisciplinary Approach For A Sustainable Environment course. In this course, we are doing
a Community Problem Solving Project on “Food Packaging”. We would like to share with you
our findings from our project and ask for your consideration to encourage school canteen
contractors to avoid using plastic and polystyrene for food packaging.

We are concerned about the harm that plastic and polystyrene can bring to human and
environment when used as food packaging. We have found from our survey that (1) the top two
food packaging used in the products sold in various places are plastic (Polyethylene
Terephthalate, PET, code 1 and Polypropylene, PP, code 5) and polystyrene and (2) polystyrene
is mostly thrown into bin after being used once and (3) the extent of usage of plastic and
polystyrene is high in Brunei. We also found that many people in Brunei are aware of the adverse
consequence(s) for the environment and for their health when they use plastic and polystyrene
for their food, but they are not avoiding its use. We enclose a prototype of our brochure to inform
you of the dangers and consequences of using plastic and polystyrene in food for your
information.

We would like to minimise the usage of plastic and polystyrene particularly with school children
who eat their snacks and lunches in schools. We would like to suggest that school canteens
implement sending plastic containers (PET and PP) provided by the school canteens for
recycling and using re-usable and recyclable containers (such as steel containers that can be
washed) instead of using polystyrene for food packaging.

We would be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt of this letter of concern and suggestion.
Lastly, we thank you for your understanding and cooperation regarding the above matter.

Yours sincerely,

______________________________
______________________________
(Hjh Siti Nor Faezah Hj Abd Rahman) (Noor Aliham Hj Muhammad)
Email: faezhar_245@yahoo.com Email: fathomer@yahoo.com

___________________________ ______________________________
(Kasnol Hj Muhd Kincho) (Christina Eu Nguk Ling)
Email:returner246@hotmail.com Email:m04b2443@stu.ubd.edu.bn
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education
Universiti Brunei Darussalam.Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong, BE1410
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

cc.
1.Lecturer of PS3403, Dr Irene Cheong
2. Dean, SHBIE, UBD
3. Registrar &Secretary UBD