The community should also play an important role in practising sustainability consistently
by FAREZZA HANUM RASHID
CONTRACTORS and developers are encouraged to manage their construction waste disposal and demolition with the Inert Waste Management Facility on Jalan Pintasan Kuantan-Kemaman, at the Sungai Karang Subdistrict.
Kuantan Mayor Datuk Hamdan Hussin said following that, contractors and developers are also required to have an inert waste permit for the disposal of construction wastes soon.
Hamdan (second from left) and Mohd Zain (centre) visiting the AFES inert waste facility
He said the new inert waste disposal facility provided by Alam Flora Environmental Solutions Sdn Bhd (AFES) is a start in the creation of a green and sustainable city.
“This more organised system will not only conserve the environment but also control illegal disposal in one go.
“We know that before this, a lot of building material wastes were disposed of illegally, which causes nuisance to the society and the environment.
“Through the construction of this green initiative facility, the sustainability and cleanliness of Kuantan can be expected to improve,” he said.
He spoke to reporters during a site visit session after inaugurating the Inert Waste Management Facility (Construction Waste and Demolition Disposal) in Mukim Sungai Karang yesterday.
Also present was AFES director Datuk Mohd Zain Hassan.
The waste disposed of at the facility will be recycled and reuse in the construction industry
The management and disposal of inert waste services are at RM16 per tonne.
The 3.6ha landfill area is the first in the state, built on a site which belongs to Alam Flora Sdn Bhd.
The waste disposed of at the facility will be recycled and used again in the construction industry.
Commenting further, Hamdan said in the long term, the site can be developed into a business and leisure area.
“I am sure that eventually, this entire area would be cultivated into a place of recreation.
“Not only that, in the next 10 years it could be turned into a very Meanwhile, Mohd Zain said AFES always will continue to work closely with the Kuantan authorities and the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) which implements and monitors solid waste management, including construction waste disposal and demolition.
The lorries have to go through the weighbridge to check the price before they are allowed to dispose of inert waste
The plant was specially built to manage waste from the construction, renovation and demolition of buildings or premises, especially in the district, and has a lifespan of seven to 10 years. Waste construction materials accepted at the facility include concrete, brick, or mortar and cement-based materials, with a capacity estimated at 120 to 170 tonnes per day.
“Apart from that, AFES will always work towards creating awareness about waste disposal according to the policy set by the government.
“The community should also play an important role in practising sustainability consistently, in line with the aspirations of making Malaysia a clean country.
“Transforming from a linear to a circular economy based on the principle of reduce, reuse and recycle need to be expanded towards minimising solid waste generation and maximising the use of resources, so that we can reduce Co2 emissions to the environment,” he concluded.
- This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition