Information blitz as waste separation deadline looms
BY MARIA J.DASS
Published: 28 August 2015 7:00 AM
Concession companies will circulate brochures with information on how to separate waste over the next few days, in the lead up to the compulsory solid waste separation scheme effective September 1.The brochures will also indicate the numbers to call and the waste collection times and frequency, which are twice a week for residual waste and once a week for recyclable waste.
National Solid Waste Management Department director-general Mohd Rosli Abdullah said Kedah and Perlis could expect to receive the brochures from Environment Idaman Sdn Bhd, while those in the central region of Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Pahang would be supplied by Alam Flora Sdn Bhd.
Johor, Negri Sembilan and Malacca will be served by SWM Environment Sdn Bhd.
Rosli said all households should get the brochures within the week.
He was responding to criticisms over the lack of information on the scheme for the public. Last week, Green and Blue Environment Protection Society Malaysia had said that while the intention was laudable, its execution was not.
While most Malaysians are familiar with the concept of recycling and even waste separation, they are not sure how to go about preparing the waste for collection and unclear about the waste collection schedule.
Rosli said: “Prior to this, we had already instructed the concession companies to place signs in housing areas to inform residents of when residual waste and recyclable waste is collected.
“Alternatively, they can call 1-800-88-7472 to check the collection times for their areas.”
The concession companies’ Key Performance Index (KPI) requires that they use new lorries, provide households with green bins for residual waste, and advertise the collection day on signs for each and every neighbourhood, he said.
SW Corp, the ground level agency, has been tasked to work with residents’ associations, Rukun Tetangga and Joint Management Bodies (JMBs) towards implementation of this scheme, he added.
“The main thing that the public has to remember is that it is a 2+1 system, meaning two collection days residual waste and one for collection of recyclable, garden and bulk wastes.”
Rosli conceded that implementing the scheme was “a bit of a challenge” in non-landed and high-rise buildings.
“We do provide three types of bins for those who live in highrise buildings and it is the responsibility of the JMB to ensure that the residents separate their waste accordingly.
“Once we start to issue compounds, the JMB will be penalised if the waste is not separated.
“Until June 1, we will only serve a notice to households and JMBs which do not separate their waste as we are giving them time to adapt,” he said.
After that, he said, households that do not separate their waste will be compounded RM50 for the first offence, and RM100 and RM500 for subsequent offences. There is a maximum fine of RM1,000 if the matter is taken to court.
Rosli admitted that it seemed like an uphill battle now.
“But we have to start somewhere, and for all you know, Malaysians could be more than ready for it,” he said.
He agreed that the concept of waste separation was not unfamiliar to most Malaysians, thanks to various awareness programmes in the past and the “paper lama man”, who was arguably the first to teach households to separate their paper, plastic, glass and aluminium for collection on weekends.
“We are not stopping the ‘paper lama’ man either if that is how you want to dispose of your waste,” he added.
Under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, households in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Perlis and Kedah are required to separate their waste come September 1.
Perak, Penang, Selangor, Kelantan and Terengganu are unaffected for now.
For information on waste separation, call the 24-hour hotline 1-800-88-7472 or
03-2245 9292 (Kuala Lumpur), 03-8890 5088 (Putrajaya), 07-283 8953 (Malacca), 06-763 6030 (Negri Sembilan), 09-566 3151 (Pahang), 04-735 4286 (Kedah) and 04-976 9834 (Perlis) during office hours. – August 28, 2015.- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/citynews/greater-kl/article/heres-a-deal-you-cant-refuse#sthash.ZHddnYS8.dpuf
