PENANG Chief Minister Kon Kon Yeow wants the state to strive for a 70% recycling rate on all forms of waste by 2030 from 50%.
Although the state leads in recycling with a 50% rate, Chow said it continues to struggle with pollution and environmental degradation.
The national average is about 40%, and there is room for improvement in making inroads in the circular economy, where what is wasted can be recycled into a productive part of the economy.
Chow singled out locally established Shan Poornam Metals Sdn Bhd a mega recycling operator, who together with Thirupathi Capital Sdn Bhd launched a groundbreaking ceremony for its centralised foreign workers quarters.
The facility is the fourth establishment that Shan Poornam has in the Prai Free Industrial Estate.
Chow visited Shan Poornam before attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the workers' quarters.
He said that Shan Poorham Group, which was founded by the grandfather of its managing director Datuk Seri S. Selvakumar, is an innovative-driven company.
Other small-medium industries should emulate it to gain a big foothold in the circular economy, said Chow.
"The company is also able to stay ahead of the competition because it innovates and it has now become an important part of the global supply chain of recycled parts."
The company also realises the need to comply with the environmental social governance (ESG) requirements in the corporate sector, said Chow.
Earlier, Shan Poorham's executive director Rose Kuan said that the company is now much sought for its ability to extract and produce precious metals from electronic and digital equipment waste such as laptops, keyboards and discs.
Last year, the group's turnover was about RM500 million.
Its core business besides household waste, has now grown to include the recycling of e-waste and industrial waste.
It has about 850 staffers, including foreign workers whose task each day is focused on recycling what others think is waste and simply discarding it.
Selvakumar said that the company is also heavily invested in research and development, which it hopes will drive its businesses soon. - The Vibes, November 13, 2024.
