PETALING JAYA: Come Sept 1, some two million households in the country will have to separate their rubbish but many are still in the dark about what they are supposed to do.
“I am not aware of this and I don’t think anyone in my housing area does too,” said Ong Rou Jin, a civil servant.
“I feel there should have been more awareness campaigns or talks by the Government to educate residents.
“Personally, I am clueless when it comes to separating waste,” she said.
“Before the Government starts to fine people for not following the law, the people should be educated first,” said the 26-year-old, who lives in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
Under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, households in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya as well as six states – Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Perlis and Kedah – have to separate their trash.
Households in Perak, Penang, Selangor, Kelantan and Terengganu are unaffected for now.
Last year, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan announced that the process of separating waste at source involved the separation of household solid wastes according to its composition, that is, plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, metal, food waste, bulk waste and farm waste.
Universiti Technology Malaysia student Roslin Rahim, who lives in Skudai, is also unaware of the new rule.
Roslin, 27, believes that most Malaysians have yet to change their mentality towards recycling and its benefits.
“I feel if everyone is educated on the benefits of recycling, then they can see what good comes out of it and it will be easier to implement.”
Programme manager Rishen Philip, 33, who lives in Bangsar, agreed that waste separation was a good policy but felt that there should be more public education before it was implemented.
“I will not agree to pay a fine for something I am not aware of,” he added.
Faten Baharuddin, a 32-year-old English teacher living in Kuala Lumpur, read the announcement of the policy in the newspapers but has received no other information.
“I haven’t seen any advertisements. No one has come to my housing area to give out pamphlets on the ruling,” said Faten.
She also didn’t know whether residents would be given new bins to keep their separated waste in.
While Faten thinks she is ready to separate her rubbish, she too felt that many people were still clueless.
Public relations executive Sara Chong, 26, who lives in a condominium in Cheras, said she heard about the news from her friends but did not expect it to be implemented so soon.
“I can influence my family to separate their waste, it’s no hassle at all. I am already practicing recycling at my workplace,” she said.
“Every floor in my condominium has a rubbish area where common bins are provided.
“However, I’m more concerned about other residents living in my condominium who sometimes can’t even put their own rubbish in those bins,” she said.
PETALING JAYA: The concessionaire companies tasked with collecting separated waste from households must do so three times a week beginning Sept 1.
Solid Waste Management and Public Cleanliness Corporation (SWCorp) chief executive officer Datuk Abd Rahim Md Nor assured the public that they need not pay extra fees for the service but they would be required to separate their waste accordingly.
“Our officers will be conducting random checks to ensure that residents are doing it correctly,” he said when contacted.
The three companies handling the waste collection are Environment Idaman Sdn Bhd, Alam Flora Sdn Bhd and SWM Environment Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Southern Waste Management).
Abd Rahim said SWCorp would also be keeping tabs on the concessionaire companies to ensure that the job was being done correctly.
“If residents find that rubbish collectors are just dumping the waste that they separate into one vehicle, they can lodge a complaint with us,” he added.
Asked how the concessionaires would differentiate the rubbish bags containing plastic, paper and other materials, Abd Rahim said that all the collectors had been trained on the matter.
He said they would determine the contents by shaking the bags or opening them if they have to.
SWCorp is an agency under the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry, which is in charge of the waste separation project.
“The companies have prepared additional vehicles and have the facilities to store and collect wastes,” he said, adding that the first phase would not include schools, factories and other non-residential areas.
As for condominiums and apartments, Abd Rahim said the onus was on the respective managements to ensure the waste was separated.
He added that SWCorp had engaged with them on how to do it and ensure they had the necessary facilities.
Abd Rahim said condominium and apartment managements would be taken to task if the waste was not separated.
The collection schedules for each area differs and will be displayed at main notice boards or entrances, he said, adding that residents could call to find out more.
A general guide on the different types of waste is also available on the websitehttp://www.ppsppa.gov.my
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the ministry was working hard to ensure that all households involved were prepared by the deadline.
He said SWCorp was leading the campaign and had covered about 50,000 households so far.
He said information booklets were being distributed, adding that radio and TV commercials were also under way.
First time offenders will face a RM50 compound, with RM100 and RM500 for subsequent offences.
Abdul Rahman said a RM1,000 fine would be imposed if an offender did not settle the compound.
He said before the fines were enforced, warnings would be issued.
“However, the fine will only be implemented from June 1 next year so we will only issue warnings from Sept 1,” he said.
Abdul Rahman said after the recyclable wastes were collected, they would be taken to drop-off centres where they would be separated in greater detail before being sold off to recycling vendors.
Asked whether the public would be penalised for selling their recyclable items to recycling centres, Abdul Rahman said it was “more than encouraged”.
“Separation at source is intended to help the public adopt the practice of recycling in their daily lives,” he added
