Visitor unhappy that Alexandra Hospital charges for plastic bag in its bid to go green
The New Paper 31 Mar 09;
THE supermarkets are doing it, and so is a furniture retail giant.
One hospital has also jumped on the Bring Your Own Bag bandwagon.
Since November last year, the pharmacy at Alexandra Hospital has been charging patients 10 cents for a small plastic bag and 20cents for a big one.
The small bag is like the one you get at the doctor when you are given your medicine. Anything bigger than that is considered a big bag.
Patients can also buy a reusable bag for $2.
So far, it appears Alexandra is the only hospital doing it. The New Paper checked with 10 other hospitals, and all said they do not charge patients for plastic bags.
SingHealth and National Healthcare Group polyclinics also do not have such a policy, and their spokesmen said they have no plans for it in the near future.
While some patients and visitors are supportive of the move, others ask if a hospital should be doing this.
The New Paper also spoke to members of the public outside the hospital.
Mr Jan Chan, 31, said: 'It feels more calculative than educational. People who go to a hospital are often in a rush and may not bring bags, especially the elderly.'
Another man, a 50-year-old bank officer who gave his name only as Mr Amir, said: 'Hospital fees are already high.'
Mr Liak Teng Lit, CEO of Alexandra Hospital, told The New Paper that the initiative was part of the hospital's green push.
The hospital was awarded the President's Award for the Environment last year.
Mr Liak said: 'The message we are trying to convey here is, 'Use what you need, don't waste'.'
He added that notices were placed in the hospital pharmacy last September to inform patients that the hospital would not give plastic bags for free from November.
A notice was also put up on the hospital's website.
Mr Liak said: 'We began encouraging our staff to recycle six or seven years ago and we're aggressive about it.'
Other green initiatives taken up by the hospital include switching to energy-efficient lightbulbs and placing solar panels where possible.
Despite the notices, some patients and visitors said they did not know that they would be charged for plastic bags.
Two weeks ago, Madam Mary Anchiraya took her mother, who is in her 70s, to the hospital for outpatient treatment after the latter had a fall.
When Madam Anchiraya, a customer service officer in her 40s, went to collect the medicine at the pharmacy, she was told that she would need to pay.
As she was heading to work and her mother did not have a bag, she paid for a small bag.
But she was unhappy that the hospital was charging for plastic bags.
'There was no sign at the pharmacy (about the charges) and I did not know I needed to bring my own bag,' she said.
'Not every patient goes there frequently. Maybe they should give the first bag free and charge for subsequent bags.'
Student Chen Rui Ping, 18, however, said she does not mind having to pay for the plastic bags.
'Medicines are given out in small packets that can be easily slipped into bags or pockets,' she pointed out.
Ms Vivien Ding, 26, a customer service officer, said having to pay for plastic bags will make people think twice about whether they need the bags.
'If bags are free, people will take one whether they need it or not.'
Mr Liak said each plastic bag costs the hospital three to four cents and it has seen a 10 to 20 per cent decrease in plastic bag consumption since implementing the scheme.
'Plastic bags are not free and I don't see why we should give it out for free. I either price it into the product or price it separately,' Mr Liak added.
He said that patients who do not want to pay for the bags can take used plastic bags that are also provided at the pharmacy.
But most of the people we spoke to said they would not take the used bags.
Mr Wong Kok Hong, 61, who works in the construction industry, said: ' I don't know what was in them before.'
Pearly Tan, newsroom intern
