Penang state, through its city councils – Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP), is set to reintroduce the Waste Segregation at Source Policy from July 2024. State Local Government Committee chairman Jason H’ng emphasizes the importance of reinstating the policy to reduce environmental pollution, maintain ecosystem balance, and enhance cost efficiency in waste management.
H’ng designates January 2024 to June 2024 as an educational phase, urging cooperation from city councils, local authorities, NGOs, and the community to raise awareness about the reinstated policy. The emphasis is on leveraging social media and on-site programs to disseminate information, considering the hiatus in enforcement from 2017 to 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Penang has also constructed the Ampang Jajar Integrated Solid Waste Management Centre (ISWMC), a pioneering project in Malaysia. This facility, set to process domestic, garden, and construction waste, utilizes anaerobic digestion to generate methane. With an estimated daily capacity of 1,200 tons, the ISWMC aims to reach its maximum capacity by 2040, contributing to sustainable waste management practices.
(Sources: Malay Mail; New Straits Times)
