‘Separate your waste or else’

AMPANG: Residents of strata buildings in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya had better start separating waste at the source, as the Federal Territories Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) vows to come down hard on offenders next year.

SWCorp director Ummi Kalthum Shuib said it has targeted visiting all joint management bodies (JMBs) and management committees (MCs) in the two Federal Territories that have over 2,000 management bodies by the end of the year to advocate proper separation and disposal of waste.

“So far, we have visited 294 JMBs and MCs, and 150 of them have complied with the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).

“From Jan 1, SWCorp enforcement officers will issue a show-cause letter if any JMB or MC is found to not comply with Act 672.

“The JMB or MC will be given a one-month period to rectify the matter, failing which compounds will be issued,” she said, adding that the lack of enforcement may be one of the factors in the delay in waste separation.

For non-landed properties, offenders will be liable for a compound of between RM100 and RM500. If prosecuted and found guilty, the fine will not exceed RM1,000.

Repeat offenders will continue to be prosecuted.

Ummi Kalthum said the landfills in the country are bursting at the seams and the government is hoping that waste-to-energy plants will be the solution to waste management in the future.

“Out of 311 landfills in the country, 174 have been closed but the government is still spending more than RM100mil annually to treat them and lessen their harm to the environment.

“That leaves only 137 landfills in operation, but only 21 are sanitary with controlled disposal of solid waste.

“The other 116 landfills are causing harm to the environment,” she said.

She reiterated the need to recycle and reduce the waste that ends up in landfills.

The national recycling rate stands at 33.17%, and the national target is set to hit 40% by 2025.

She said many still lack awareness for the need to recycle and reduce waste.

Another problem in Kuala Lumpur is the backlog at the Kuala Lumpur Transfer Station in Taman Beringin.

Ummi Kalthum said there are no landfills in Kuala Lumpur and waste is sent to the transit point before being moved to landfills for final disposal.

“We used to have 40 prime movers to transport the waste, but after over 20 years of operation, we only have fewer than 10 running.

“That is why there are delays in waste collection sometimes.

“The second transfer station in Kuala Lumpur is scheduled to be completed between September and January next year, after which the waste collection operations will improve,” she said.