Elderly woman hoards three tonnes of garbage at home

- Photo courtesy of Ipoh City Council.

IPOH: Ipoh City Council cleaned up three tons of rubbish from an older woman's house whose obsession with the environment turned into a hoarding disorder.

The city council sent three lorries to dispose of the rubbish in a concerted operation at the house of a woman in her 60s in Jalan Merpati, Taman Ipoh, on Monday (Sept 25) morning.

According to MBI, this is the third time the local council had to carry out a clean-up operation at the same house after the owner failed to cease her hoarding activity despite being advised many times.

It said that the owner, who lives in the house with her husband, was once referred to the Department of Social Welfare (JKM) for counselling, but the elderly person kept repeating the clutter of recyclables.

"MBI has received complaints of a nuisance at this premises since 2020; storing garbage at her residence for recycling purposes has raised practical concerns such as foul stench, rat infestation and breeding ground for mosquitoes.

"This activity poses a threat to the safety and health of the surrounding residents as well as degrades the aesthetics aspects of the area," said MBI in a statement to Bernama.

According to MBI's records, since 2020, seven complaints have been received, and in 2021, the owner was fined RM500 under Section 82 of the Local Government Act 1976.

"This case has been referred for court action due to repeated offences," said MBI.- Bernama