Penang to reuse its refuse

Minimising waste: The Food Waste-to-Energy Biogas pilot plant at Batu Maung solid waste transfer station in Penang.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang is planning to convert its organic waste into biogas, compost and food for the black soldier fly larvae (BSFL).

The BSFL would, in turn, be harvested as a protein-rich animal feed additive.

As of now, 60% of the total 1,500 tonnes of trash produced daily in the state is organic waste.

In Central Seberang Prai district, state environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said a facility would be set up in Penanti, where organic waste would be used to feed millions of BSFL.

The leftover substrate would become compost with the BSFL being used for animal feed, he added.

“The waste from the northeast district, which involves George Town, will be sent to the transfer station in Batu Maung to be segregated.

“We are working to enable the Indah Water Konsortium plant in Jelutong to accept organic waste and convert them into biogas as they have such a facility which is under-utilised.

Composting is the new future: A volunteer shovelling food waste into the compost machine during the Zero Waste Carnival held in Taman Bagan Lalang, Butterworth.

“The waste from North Seberang Prai district will be sent to the Ampang Jajar transfer station where there is already a gasification facility to produce gases like oxygen and hydrogen.

“A biogas plant is being set up in Valdor to accept organic waste from South Seberang Prai district,” he said.

Phee added that the plant was under construction and it should be completed in September before going into full operation by year-end.

The objective of a district-based organic waste reuse plan, said Phee, was to achieve a drastic reduction in the carbon footprint from the logistics of transport, apart from many other savings.

The island’s southwest district – where Balik Pulau is – was sitting it out because it was not so densely populated and did not churn out much organic waste, he said.

Phee said the Penang Green Council had conducted surveys and would outline the Organic Waste Roadmap to get stakeholders to participate.

“It will include the solid waste management plan with recommendations from the council in collaboration with the local government,” he said.