PUCHONG, July 28 — The Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) is determined to strengthen public awareness and increase the national recycling rate through various initiatives.
SWCorp chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Husaini Abdul Rahman said the agency aims to reduce the amount of solid waste sent to landfills.
“We hope to further reduce waste going to landfills. Our focus is to divert waste to recycling plants. This year, our target is 37.5 per cent, and for next year, 40 per cent.
“Last year, it was 35 per cent. Each year, we expect a 2.5 per cent reduction in waste sent to landfills,” he told a press conference after attending Karnival Kemampanan Komuniti Bandar: Karnival Komuniti Madani here today.
He said this effort is to support the government’s goal, set by the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT), to increase the national recycling rate to 40 per cent by 2025.
Among the initiatives undertaken by SWCorp is Trash to Cash, which provides additional income to people or communities who recycle waste.
SWCorp is also implementing the Value Food, Avoid Waste Campaign, Zero Waste Community Programme (Kosis), Schools Recycling Competition, From Waste to Wealth Innovation Design Competition, and the Star Rating Award for Solid Waste Management in the Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Sectors.
In line with the National Cleanliness Policy, SWCorp has introduced 32 Drive-Thru Recycling Centres to facilitate public recycling.
“Every day, there are 38,000 tonnes of solid waste disposed of, and annually, it amounts to 14 million tonnes,” Husaini said.
Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu, who officiated the carnival, said Kosis has successfully collected 456,416.7kg of recyclable items worth RM138,505 from 2020 to 2023.
“We have 17 People’s Housing Projects under the KPKT’s management, and we want solid waste separation to be done early, starting from home.
“The cost of maintaining landfills is very high, and it is our collective responsibility to help reduce solid waste to landfills,” she said.
At the same event, used 40L cooking oil containers were presented to 27 traders at the Taman Putra Perdana Hawker Centre to encourage traders to collect used cooking oil.
SWCorp is a government agency established on June 1, 2008, under the KPKT.
— Bernama
