Make use of young talent to enhance waste recycling efforts- Zuraida

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 -- Do not squander the talents of young local innovators including those interested in waste management and recycling, but instead, make use of their full talent to drive efforts in creating a positive future.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said big players in waste management should come together to sponsor recycling programmes in schools so that such programmes could be enhanced and advanced.

She said this to reporters at an award appreciation ceremony organised by Yayasan Pendidikan Cheras today, to celebrate the achievements of Muhammad Harraz Nazhan Mohd Yusni, 16, from Sekolah Menengah Sains Alam Shah Kuala Lumpur who bagged the Gold and Special Awards at the Asia Pacific Conference of Young Scientist 2019 in Sakha Junior Science Academy at Yakutsk, Russia, in October last year, for his project  'Converting Unused Wood into Functioning Timber'.

"I am very impressed with this Form Four student. Creating something functional out of nothing…  I have yet to see the project myself but once I have, and find it suitable, we will try to make his innovation beneficial.

“It could be used in the ministry’s waste and unused products recycling programmes, and we might even develop it for use in schools, the community and so forth,” Zuraida said. 

She said serious recycling programmes in schools could also mean extra pocket money for students, especially those in the B40 group.

At the same time, she added that Malaysians, especially in the B40 group are encouraged to turn trash into cash as a way to help supplement their income, as there is money to be made in garbage, such as food leftovers as plants fertiliser, as well as things that can be recycled including tins, cans, papers and plastics.

She said some of the residents at People's Housing Projects (PPR) and B40 residential areas were very successful in selling those recycled products with some earning between RM800 to RM1,000 a month.

"People can make money from the garbage industry, thus we need to encourage our rakyat to appreciate them. It is as easy as collecting trash and getting money out of it.

"The ministry has a programme that teaches the residents at PPRs on how to recycle, how to collect and how to carry out food decomposition, and then they turn the trash into cash," she said.

-- BERNAMA