Perak looking beyond landfills for solid waste management system

IPOH, Dec 16  -- Perak is looking beyond landfills to replace the state's waste management system so that the disposal of garbage and solid waste will be more stable for the sake of environmental sustainability in the state.

State Housing, Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said in this regard, the state government introduced the Solid Waste Management Policy to ensure a comprehensive, integrated, cost effective and sustainable solid waste management system in accordance with current community needs.

“Within the policy, waste-to-energy (WTE) initiatives such as thermal treatment plants or incinerators as well as solid waste management involving smaller sites will be established.

“The method of reliance on landfills is no longer effective due to the increase in the amount of solid waste disposal every day in addition to the lack of landfills.

"So WTE is more sustainable and productive for the future of the country compared to the existing disposal methods but the cost of building a WTE plant is quite high and requires a large amount of waste," she said during the question-and-answer session at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.

She was replying to Muhd ​Fadhil Nuruddin (Amanah-Kamunting), who wanted to know efforts taken to improve the waste management system and disposal of garbage or solid waste.

Nolee Ashilin said among them was the establishment of the Solid Waste Management Committee last year to ensure the strategy was achieved and met requirements.

"The next strategy is the study of Environmentally Sustainable Solid Waste Management Methods and the Development of Potential Solid Waste Sites (landfills) in Perak as well as the establishment of the Perak Solid Waste Site Management Master Plan 2022-2026," she said.

According to her, another strategy lies with the strategic cooperation between local government authorities and district action committees in identifying suitable sites for the development of the Solid Waste Site Concentrated Zones.

-- BERNAMA