GEORGE TOWN: A total of 10,815 cubic metres of pig waste was collected from licensed farms across Penang between May and September following the enforcement of a mandatory directive requiring farmers to send livestock waste to the Ampang Jajar Biogas Plant.
State local government, town and country planning committee chairman H'ng Mooi Lye said between 46 and 51 farms recorded waste deliveries each month, with the total monthly collection ranging from 1,890 to 2,550 cubic metres.
He said 2,550 cubic metres were collected in May, followed by 2,385 in June, 1,950 in July, 2,040 in August and 1,890 in September.
Addressing concerns about farms that did not record any deliveries or still had outstanding waste for collection, H'ng clarified that this did not necessarily indicate non-compliance with the directive.
"Most of these farms operate on a small scale, with fewer than 50 pigs. Their waste volume (may) not require scheduled collection for a particular month," he told the state assembly on Thursday (Nov 5).
However, enforcement remains in place to ensure compliance with the directive, he added.
H'ng said the Penang Veterinary Services Department (DVS) issued a compound notice to a pig farm in Tingkat Selamat 4 for failing to comply with the requirements.
The operator has since reduced the farm's livestock population to about 50 pigs and is expected to cease operations and vacate the premises in the near future, he added.
