PENANG has set a target of 70% recycling rate by the end of this year.
State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the state has achieved 51.18% recycling rate now, which is the highest in Malaysia and above the national recycling rate of 31.52% for 2021.
“I want to see no less than 70% recycling rate by the end of this year. I believe this can be achieved in Penang because we are on track.
“We have a number of programmes being carried out and I hope all our frontliners will do their part so that we can make this programme successful or a better success story.
“So, I hope both MBPP (Penang Island City Council) in Penang island and MBSP (Seberang Perai City Council) in Seberang Perai will continue with their efforts, like gotong royong, beach cleanup, upcycle, etc.
“We hope to increase the activities we have embarked on with further vigour so that we can reach the target that we have set today,” Jagdeep said after visiting the Batu Maung Waste Transfer Station.
Penang has implemented a Waste Separation at Source Policy since 1 June, 2016 for the population’s well-being and environmental sustainability as well as to reduce the increasing generation of waste to disposal site like the Pulau Burung landfill.
For the record, Jagdeep said the MBSP has succeeded in achieving a recycling rate of 56.77% while MBPP has recorded a recycling rate of 31.97%.
Throughout 2021, he said MBSP held 24 gotong-royong activities and 99 Eco community programmes while MBPP implemented 45 gotong-royong activities, six beach cleanups and 18 upcycle activities.
He also said the beautiful treatment plant in Batu Maung would also serve as an educational facility for future generation.
With him at the visit were MBPP secretary A. Rajendran, state Local Government chief senior assistant secretary Nur Aishah Md Norodin and Eurasia Express Sdn Bhd director Kenny Yeoh.
Rajendran said the Batu Maung Waste Transfer Station receives an average of 730 tonnes of solid waste per day for 2022 and 740 tonnes of solid waste per day for 2021.
He added that in 2021, MBPP had carried out 69 enforcement operations, inspected 4,289 premises, issued 41 notices and 11 compounds for non-compliance of waste separation at source regulations.
One component in this station is the Green Bulk Waste (GBW) building where timber/wood and garden waste can be crushed into chunks of wood or wood chips to be used as fuel material.
Rajendran said MBPP is calling for a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Implementation and Management of Waste to Energy Projects (WtE) which will close at the end of this month. This is in line with the state government’s direction to improve the recycling rate and realise the vision of zero waste.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix courtesy of YB Jagdeep Singh’s office