THE SIBU Municipal Council (SMC) is grappling with the challenge of plastic waste overwhelming the Kemuyang sanitary landfill, with its number two cell nearly full and a costly third cell unfinished.
SMC chairman Clarence Ting said that excessive plastic content in domestic waste is a major factor hindering effective compaction at the landfill, leading to faster-than-expected fill-up of the cells.
“Most of the domestic waste arrives in plastic bags, which makes proper compaction difficult. This is why cell number two is overflowing,” Ting said at the council full board meeting on Monday (May 26).
With the upcoming cell number three still under preparation, concerns are mounting about the lack of suitable equipment to manage waste volume.
Ting said the council is considering investing in a shredder, which would allow better compaction and extend the lifespan of landfill cells.
“Unless we have a shredder, the situation will remain challenging. Shredding the plastic waste would make compaction more feasible. We should seriously consider acquiring this equipment because constructing a new landfill cell is far more costly,” he added.
He also noted that a compactor had been used previously, but could not keep up with the high volume of plastic waste. He added that high costs deterred the council from buying equipment and maintenance services.
“Compaction is essential to prolong the usability of our landfill. Once cell number three is operational, we still don’t know where the next cell will be. Without a proper compactor and shredder, our landfill’s lifespan will be drastically shortened,” Ting said.
The Council is expected to finalise its next steps soon, balancing long-term infrastructure needs against financial constraints.
