Innovative eco brand Earthya has launched compostable bags, helping Malaysians tackle the challenge of microplastic pollution.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 August 2025 – Malaysians use approximately 9 billion plastic bags every year, including trash bags that are difficult to fully decompose. Over time, these break down into microplastics, increasing the risk of microplastic ingestion among locals and making Malaysia the country with the highest intake in the world.

Earthya Compostable Bag - product of Zaneco Sdn Bhd. Ivan Chan - CEO of Zantat Holdings Berhad & Zaneco Sdn Bhd

To address this issue, local innovative eco brand Earthya has launched the Earthya Compostable Bag, a product developed over three years of dedicated research. Made entirely free of any plastic components, it can fully break down into plant fertiliser in natural conditions or home compost environment, helping to ease Malaysia's struggle with microplastic pollution.

Malaysians Rank First Globally in Microplastic Consumption

According to The Straits Times, among 109 countries surveyed for microplastic pollution, Malaysians consume an average of 502.3 milligrams of microplastics per person daily, equivalent to about 494,000 particles. Over 50% of this microplastic intake comes from consuming fish. This is closely linked to Malaysians' heavy reliance on single-use plastics in daily life, including plastic bags for takeaways, disposable food containers, plastic beverage cups, straws, shopping bags, garbage bags and more. Without a robust recycling and waste management system, these plastics eventually break down into microplastics, which enter the air and waterways, widely infiltrate the human food chain, and ultimately end up in the human body.

Earthya Hopes to Reduce Microplastic Pollution with Compostable Bags

Founder of Earthya, Ivan Chan Bin luan, expressed his hope that these compostable bags will help ease Malaysia's microplastic pollution challenge.

Therefore, together with the Earthya team, he conducted in-depth research into various biodegradable materials suitable for making plastic alternatives, and discovered that many trash bags are wrongly marketed as eco-friendly, such as those made from Photo-Degradable, Oxo-Degradable, or Bio-Degradable plastics which still release microplastic particles during composition, posing potential risks to the environment.

Ultimately, they selected premium calcium carbonate and an internationally certified compostable polyester as the core materials, successfully developing the Earthya Compostable Bag—a truly eco-friendly trash bag that contains no plastic, naturally decomposes into plant fertiliser, and leaves no microplastic residue.

5 Unique Advantages of the Earthya Compostable Bag

Compared to conventional trash bags on the market, the Earthya Compostable Bag offers 5 unique advantages:

Contains no traditional plastic components such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). Generates no microplastics during use—safer and more eco-friendly.

Suitable not only for industrial composting but also able to break down in home compost systems or natural soil.

When compared to most cornstarch-based compostable bags with a shelf life of only 6 months, the Earthya Compostable Bag is better suited for long-term storage and everyday use.

Combines strength and familiar feel, so going green doesn't mean giving up convenience or changing your habits.

Offers a hassle-free composting solution for households, while preventing methane emissions caused by sealing food waste in plastic bags.

Most importantly, the calcium carbonate added to Earthya bags can be absorbed by the soil, helping to balance pH levels and further improve soil quality, achieving multiple environmental benefits.

Certified by Multiple Local and International Authorities

Earthya Compostable Bags have obtained the following certifications to date:

The OK Compost is a certification program specifically for compostable products, managed and issued by TÜV Austria.

The MyHijau certification is one of Malaysia's most authoritative eco-labelling systems, designed to promote sustainable practices among businesses.

The BPI certification mark on a product indicates that it has passed rigorous testing and meets compostability standards such as ASTM D6400 or D6868. These standards assess the product's ability to break down in industrial composting facilities, a process that typically takes up to 90 days, while ensuring no harmful residues remain.

Australia's Industrial Composting Standard AS4736 sets clear requirements for compostable packaging materials. It mandates visible decomposition within 12 weeks and complete biodegradation within 6 months.

Spreading Awareness on Microplastic Hazards to Inspire Greater Eco Participation

Founder Ivan Chan Bin Iuan shared that the inspiration behind developing the Earthya Compostable Bag was to normalise eco-friendly living—proving that sustainability doesn't have to come at the cost of convenience, and that everyone can easily take part.

"We hope that when you pick up an Earthya Compostable Bag, you feel a sense of assurance and trust—knowing that every bag you use will never break down into microplastics, will never become a burden to the planet after disposal, and will never end up as microplastics consumed by you or your children."

He emphasised that no one should underestimate the power of individual action. If just one person chooses a trash bag that doesn't break down into microplastics, that's already a reduction in the generation of microplastics. And when 10, 100 people, or even thousands make the same choice, it will help ease Malaysia's microplastic pollution.

Besides that, to further drive environmental awareness, Earthya actively organises environmental talks, participates in exhibitions, and shares educational content on social media to strengthen the public's understanding of eco-friendly products.

If you would like to make a purchase, you can visit:

• Shopee and search for "Earthya"

• Find us at all Health Lane Family Pharmacies outlets across Malaysia

Hashtag: #Earthya #ForTheEarth #GreenWithEarthya #EcoWithEarthya #ChangeWithEarthya #SustainableFuture #OurEarthOurFuture #SmallStepsBigEarthya #TogetherForTomorrow #sustainability #NoMicroplastic

https://zanecosb.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Earthya3
https://www.instagram.com/earthya.my/
https://www.tiktok.com/@earthya3?lang=en
https://my.shp.ee/Y2dkbzZ

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

** The press release content is from Media OutReach Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

The U.S. Coast Guard boarded the tanker, named Veronica, early Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media. The ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean,” she said.

U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to take part in the operation alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding as in previous raids. The military said the ship was seized “without incident.”

Several U.S. government social media accounts posted brief videos that appeared to show various parts of the ship’s capture. Black-and-white footage showed at least four helicopters approaching the ship before hovering over the deck while armed troops dropped down by rope. At least nine people could be seen on the deck of the ship.

The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

The Veronica last transmitted its location on Jan. 3 as being at anchor off the coast of Aruba, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal. According to the data it transmitted at the time, the ship was partially filled with crude.

Days later, the Veronica became one of at least 16 tankers that left the Venezuelan coast in contravention of the quarantine that U.S. forces have set up to block sanctioned ships, according to Samir Madani, the co-founder of TankerTrackers.com. He said his organization used satellite imagery and surface-level photos to document the ship movements.

The ship is currently listed as flying the flag of Guyana and is considered part of the shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.

According to its registration data, the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, owned and managed by a company in Russia. In addition, a tanker with the same registration number previously sailed under the name Pegas and was sanctioned by the Treasury Department for being associated with a Russian company moving cargoes of illicit oil.

As with prior posts about such raids, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

Speaking to reporters at the White House later Thursday, Noem declined to say how many sanctioned oil tankers the U.S. is tracking or whether the government is keeping tabs on freighters beyond the Caribbean Sea.

“I can’t speak to the specifics of the operation, although we are watching the entire shadow fleet and how they’re moving,” she told reporters.

But other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear they see the actions as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Trump met with executives from oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro’s capture and the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, not the Galileo.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)