SHAH ALAM, Dec 16 — Severe damage to the road to the Tanjung 12 sanitary landfill in Kuala Langat, which was caused by the passage of lorries belonging to the developer of an industrial park, has affected Selangor’s solid waste collection schedule.
KDEB Waste Management Sdn Bhd (KDEBWM) general manager of operations Mohd Idris Mohamed Yusof said continuous rain during the northeast monsoon has made the situation even more dire, with increased safety risks and vehicle damage.
He said several KDEBWM lorries, including new vehicles, have been damaged, which has affected the solid waste collection schedule for surrounding communities.
“Delays happen when lorries have to move slowly and cautiously for the safety of drivers and crew. The potholed road that hasn’t been fixed also increases the risk of crashes,” Idris added.
He said several crashes, including one where a lorry turned turtle, have been reported due to the narrow and severely damaged road, especially in front of the NCT project site.
“This has forced lorries to wait for long periods before they can continue their journeys, which directly affects waste collection operations in areas further away like Ampang, Shah Alam, and Subang Jaya, and could lead to an increase in public complaints over delayed collection,” Idris said.
Meanwhile, KDEBWM assistant general manager of corporate communications Mahfuzah Muhammad Tarmidi said the company has held talks with relevant agencies and stakeholders to find a short-term solution.
Among these recommendations are immediate repairs to the affected road and the use of an alternative route through Tanjung 12 for KDEBWM lorries.
“This step is to ensure the sending of waste to the landfill, managed by Worldwide Holdings Bhd, can be done without disruption,” she said.
KDEBWM said it hopes a decision can be made soon on when comprehensive repairs to the road can be done, to ensure driver safety and waste collection operations go smoothly in the long term.
