OVER 13,000 metric tonnes of edible food are thrown away by Malaysians every month, says Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
“It is a huge challenge dealing with solid waste as almost 38,000 metric tonnes are thrown away each month in the country.
“Of this total, about 45% is solid food waste. This problem is not confined to Malaysia as this also happens in other Asean countries such as Indonesia where over 60% of waste is solid food waste, 55% in the Philippines and 64% in Thailand,” he said when replying to a question raised by Che Alias Hamid (PN-Kemaman) in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
The Housing and Local Government Minister said that a study done by the Future Institute in Australia revealed that some 80% of solid food waste thrown away was considered edible food waste.
Datuk Johari Abdul (PH-Sungai Petani) asked whether there were plans to amend local council by-laws for edible food waste from fast-food outlets and hotels to be channelled to MPs for distribution to the poor in their constituencies.
Johari said fast-food outlets and hotels were reluctant to allow MPs to distribute their food waste for fear of running afoul of the law.
Reezal said the distribution of edible food waste to the needy was currently being done in Penang and Selangor.
“I visit the hypermarkets in my constituency to seek food items which could be distributed,” he added.
However, Reezal acknowledged that there were constraints in solid waste management and fully promoting the recycling of solid waste under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).
He said that only seven states had adopted Act 672.
“Also, implementation of the Act is restricted to households and industries, the commercial sector and institutions including construction sectors in the states that have adopted the Act.
“The Act does not cover all food manufacturers or the food industry as a whole,” he added.
Among the states that have adopted Act 672 are Penang, Selangor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
