SHAH ALAM, Aug 12 — The 32ha Telok Kapas landfill in Klang will be rehabilitated under a KDEB Waste Management Sdn Bhd (KDEBWM) and Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) collaboration so the land may be put to use once again.
State executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Dato’ Izham Hashim said the partnership, formed under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two state subsidiaries, will involve exploring suitable, sustainable and viable rehabilitative methods for the area.
“We have tried to rehabilitate this (32ha) land for a while now, but have faced issues due to the high cost… With this partnership, (LLSB) and (KDEBWM) will explore ways to manage this area so it can be restored and put to use,” he added after the MOU-signing ceremony at the State Secretariat Building here today.
The MOU was signed by KDEBWM managing director Dato’ Ramli Mohd Tahir and LLSB managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin.
According to Izham, this effort, among others, aims to manage liquid waste still leaching from the former landfill and lower river pollution risks.
He explained that the site, which is within the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) area, was closed in 2007 with around 28ha of the total 32ha plot choked by solid waste averaging a depth of 15m.
“The total is more than one million cubic metres, or based on density, it is estimated to be around a million tonnes,” he added.
Izham said the rehabilitation effort, estimated to cost RM200 million, will involve excavating this waste, moving it to a landfill, and reclaiming the land, with several other more economical and sustainable approaches to be explored, including biological and mechanical treatments and material recovery.
“In terms of KDEBWM, it will employ the material recovery approach. Items will be separated and whatever can be recycled will be recycled,” he added.
He said that after the rehabilitation is done, the area could be developed to house solar or industrial forms, depending on its level of recovery and economic value.
“At the initial stage, we were thinking of putting a solar farm there because the area is very suitable, but we will look at its economic value. This rehabilitation process is the most important, and only after that will we determine a suitable development,” he explained.
He also said the effort could become a model for other landfill rehabilitation efforts in Selangor.
“If we manage to make use of this place and rehabilitate it, I am sure more areas facing the same problem can be rehabilitated,” Izham said.
