Story by Danny Ooi
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud
EXCO for Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Chow Kom Yeow said recyclable waste will be collected on Saturdays
from landed housing areas when the waste segregation at source scheme is implemented in Penang in June. He added that landowners should
place their recyclable waste such as old clothes, paper, plastic and aluminum cans outside their houses for collection by the local councils
on Saturdays.
“Do not mix them with non-recyclable or organic waste,” he told reporters after launching the Penang Island Green School Award 2016 competition
at Komtar on April 7. Chow commented the collection of the other wastes would be done according to the schedule at the respective housing areas.
For villages, he added the state government hoped their respective Village Development and Security Committees (JKKK) would organise
and manage the collection of the recyclables.
“The JKKK could organise a door-to-door collection, store the recyclables in their premises and later sell them off. By this they can
earn some money and it’s up to them how they want to use the funds,” he said.
Chow added that the management corporations (MC) or joint management body (JMB) would be responsible for the collection of
recyclable waste from high-rise buildings.
“They can either work with nongovernmental organisations or registered recycling companies on this issue.
“The recycling companies have to inform the amount of recyclables they collect for recording purposes,” he said.
Chow said the public would be given about one or two years to get familiarized to the waste segregation policy.
“We want to focus on education and encouragement instead of penalty.
“This project is aimed at encouraging Penang people to separate recyclable items and organise waste at source to reduce garbage at the
Pulau Burong landfill,” he added.
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