IPOH, Feb 9 – The Solid Waste Management and Public Cleaning Corporation (SWCorp) has taken the initiative to convert vegetable and food waste into compost fertiliser.
Deputy Local Government Development Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said SWCorp has collaborated with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through Kitakyushu city local authority to implement improvements in solid waste management.
He said that based on records, Cameron Highlands produces a total of 800 metric tonnes of vegetables per day of which 30 tonnes of vegetable waste end up in landfills.
“SWCorp has also established a strategic collaboration with the Malaysian Association of Hotels (Pahang Chapter) and the Cameron Highlands Farmers’ Association involving the collection of food waste from hotels in Cameron Highlands and organic waste from vegetable farms,” he said in a statement today.
Earlier, he officiated at the launch of the Cameron Highlands Green Initiative, which was also attended by Pahang Local Government, Housing, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Datuk Seri Johari Harun, the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (Planning and Sustainable Environment) Datuk Saidatu Akhma Hassan and JICA director Takizawa Masahiko.
He said JICA donated a compost machine unit with a capacity of two tonnes per day to assist in the implementation of the project in Cameron Highlands in 2019.
“KPKT (Ministry of Local Government Development) through SWCorp wishes that the implementation of this green initiative will be continued and expanded in other areas with the involvement of all parties, especially the local authorities and the private sector,” he added.
