Solid waste management in Pangkor Island enhanced by first COE in Malaysia

PANGKOR ISLAND, Feb 7  -- Solid waste management at Pangkor Island’s mini Incinerator Plant is now enhanced with the first Centre of Excellence (COE) facility in the country operated by Alam Flora  Environmental Solutions Sdn Bhd (AFES) after facing more than 10 years of obstacles.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said the COE facility at the 0.89 hectare site was completed last year after AFES, a subsidiary of Alam Flora, took over the incinerator since December 2016.

“Repair works given to the developer appointed in 2010 failed to build the incinerator and stopped in 2016 before the tender was awarded to Syarikat Alam Flora.

“During the four years of taking over the incinerator, various improvements have been implemented by AFES to be able to burn a maximum level of 20 metric tonnes of solid waste per day,” she said.

She was speaking at a press conference after officiating the opening of the first COE operated by AFES at the Pangkor Island mini Incinerator Plant here today.

Zuraida said the facility also saves costs in the management and disposal of waste including construction waste in Pangkor Island when the burning of domestic waste can be done compared to transporting garbage to the mainland in Perak.

She also suggested that Syarikat Alam Flora produce a medium-sized waste disposal technology in  large states which also produces solid waste of up to 30 tonnes a day such as Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu.

“There is a technical team with expertise from the Malaysian Nuclear Department and trained vendors here that I believe can produce new technology that can dispose of 50 tonnes and below of garbage,” she said.

-- BERNAMA