INCINERATORS: Have waste prevention, recycling instead

17 October 2012

By S.M. Mohamed Idris, president, Consumers Association of Penang, Penang | letters@nstp.com.my 

THE Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) is frustrated with the government's continued push for incineration.

Incinerators burn up and squander valuable resources, produce toxic emissions and residues, pose a financial burden to the public, and compete with waste prevention and recycling programmes that could have created jobs and benefited local economies.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung has stated that an international request for proposals will be issued by the government for three incinerator plants to be built in Malacca, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

In the past, proposals to build incinerators in Kampung Bohol, Puchong; Broga, Selangor; Malacca and Cameron Highlands had met with public protests which led to a few proposals being scrapped.

Attempts to build incinerators in Penang had also been quashed by communities and non-governmental organisations from the initial stages. These groups have also been active in promoting source separation, reusing, recycling and overall waste minimisation.

CAP has been demonstrating composting of household organics and agriculture waste to consumers and farmers. We also promote a sustainable consumption and lifestyle, raising awareness of the general public on their purchases and disposal impacts to the environment and public health.

The Green Crusaders -- Don Theseira and Mylene Ooi -- a couple from Penang, travel all over the country to demonstrate how to move towards zero waste.

The government is reportedly looking at removing recyclable materials from waste, thus reducing waste by 40 per cent. Another 40 to 50 per cent of discards is organic waste which can be composted at source.

We urge the government to adopt and implement policies that will prevent waste at source, and intensify recycling and composting to ensure a healthy environment.

Read more: INCINERATORS: Have waste prevention, recycling instead - Letters to the Editor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/incinerators-have-waste-prevention-recycling-instead-1.158148#ixzz2tZ7ApQlG