SHAH ALAM, Oct 21 — The state government is finalising a sustainable mechanism to increase recycling practices in every neighbourhood in Selangor, said Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari.
He said the current method of relying on landfills to manage solid waste is no longer sustainable and can pose adverse effects on the environment.
As such, there is a need for a shift towards a waste-to-energy system as practised in First World countries like Europe. Amirudin also expressed commitment to reducing the state's total waste output by eliminating single-use items like plastics.
“(A more sustainable method to reduce waste could also be achieved by) encouraging the private sector to increase efforts on R&D (research and development) to produce items which are more sustainable.
“I (also) see vast potential for the construction industry, from materials to building practices, and even more opportunity in the food & beverages sector to reduce food waste,” he said.
Amirudin was speaking at the opening of the Asean Sustainable Consumption and Production Policies And Practices: Celebrating 12 Years Of German-Southeast Asian SCP Cooperation conference today.
The Menteri Besar said his administration also plans to use the 20 sen charged for a plastic bag, which has accumulated to over RM20 million as of last year, to embark on a more impactful recycling programme that will be announced in the 2025 Selangor Budget, which will be tabled on November 15.
Previously, state executive councillor for public health and the environment Jamaliah Jamaluddin informed the State Legislative Assembly that the state government had collected RM38 million as of last year by charging 20 sen for every plastic bag.
She said the funds collected would be channelled back as allocation for organising awareness programmes to educate the people on the importance of caring for and preserving the environment.
The two-day conference, organised in collaboration with the 17th Asia-Pacific Roundtable For Sustainable Consumption And Production, sees over 200 policymakers, industry leaders, and experts from the Asia-Pacific region participating, marking 12 years of fruitful cooperation between Southeast Asia and Germany.
— Bernama
[caption id="attachment_376867" align="aligncenter" width="1299"]
Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari (centre) with attendees at the opening of the Asean Sustainable Consumption and Production Policies And Practices: Celebrating 12 Years Of German-Southeast Asian SCP Cooperation event at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel in Shah Alam, on October 21, 2024. — Picture by HARUN TAJUDIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
