SHAH ALAM, April 4 — KDEB Waste Management Sdn Bhd (KDEBWM) is bearing an additional RM4 million in diesel costs each month for its waste collection operations following ongoing global tensions.
Its managing director Datuk Ramli Mohd Tahir said the more than 60 per cent increase has pushed monthly operating costs to nearly RM10 million, compared with about RM6 million previously.
He said the sharp rise has placed significant pressure on the operations of some 1,300 KDEBWM lorries daily.
This poses a challenge to the efficiency of the waste management system and service continuity.
“Each lorry makes several trips a day. If diesel costs increase by 30 to 40 per cent per trip, the total can nearly double,” he said.
“However, we will try to maintain collection schedules to avoid a buildup of waste that could lead to a public health crisis,” he said during Media Selangor’s Bicara Semasa programme.
Retail diesel prices in Peninsular Malaysia rose to RM6.02 per litre for the period of April 2 to 8, following ongoing global energy pressures. This marks an increase of 50 sen from the previous rate of RM5.52 per litre.
Meanwhile, Ramli said mitigation measures are being developed by the state government with the involvement of external experts to find the best solutions without disrupting operations.
As a long-term measure, he said KDEBWM is open to adopting electric vehicle (EV) lorries, although factors such as capacity, battery endurance, investment costs and overall suitability need to be carefully assessed.
“Over the past two to three years, I have been conducting focused studies on the use of EVs in our industry, particularly for heavy-duty lorries.
“We are evaluating whether these EV lorries can sustain at least eight hours of operations. If the battery only lasts four hours, it would not be practical.
“The study and evaluation process is ongoing, including the introduction of pilot projects to assess whether EV lorries are suitable for waste management in Selangor,” he said.
