GEORGE TOWN – Calls are growing louder for the Penang government to conduct comprehensive audits on its domestic and industrial waste management, especially the Pulau Burung and Jelutong landfills, following the massive fire at the former site as well as allegations of continuous pollution.
They said the audit checks should delve into the city councils’ technical know-how and financial capabilities to manage waste sustainably as well as whether the state is able to acquire waste management technology.
This comes after the relocation of 400 families following the destructive fire at the Pulau Burung landfill some four weeks ago.
Although the fire has been put out and the services of landfill operator PLB Terang Sdn Bhd discontinued, the activists said there must be an upgrade in waste management and operations.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenaskhi Raman said the state has not seen improvements made to landfill operations.
“It was reported in December that the Seberang Prai City Council had sent a notice to the landfill concession company to start upgrading works at the Pulau Burung landfill and the company was ticked off for its poor maintenance.
“With the spate of problems encountered, the relevant authorities must conduct a thorough investigation.”
She added that Penang touts itself to be the top state in recycling but the many cases of open dumping, mismanaged waste and the issues surrounding the Pulau Burung landfill reflect badly on the state government.
It was reported that Penang in 2018 generated 1.3 million tonnes of waste, which eventually found itself back to the landfills here, especially at Pulau Burung.
With the ongoing pandemic, waste collection and generation are expected to increase two-fold with the new forms of plastic waste – from personal protection equipment, masks, sanitizer bottles, gloves and sachets.
In addition, food delivery services, which have gone up in demand due to the stay-home orders, are already generating more plastic waste.
Meanwhile, former Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun said questions have been raised concerning the Jelutong dumpsite, which was supposed to be relocated elsewhere two decades ago, but it remains as an eyesore in the neighbourhood.
There are also concerns on whether the dumpsite has a 500m buffer from the residential and commercial zones in Jelutong, Ooi told The Vibes.
“We may be non-compliant for the longest time. The matter was first raised in 2008 when I was the Jelutong MP and till today, no major solutions are offered.”
Ooi said he even brought Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh to South Korea to study how municipal waste was managed, and there was even a trip to China to see how it was done there.
“There are suspicions that Penang is struggling to manage its waste system. The DAP government is into its third term. Frankly, it is time to deliver.”
He added that the Jelutong dumpsite is managed by the same operator as the Pulau Burung landfill.
The massive Pulau Burung landfill fire resulted in 10 schools within 10km radius to close from January 19 and two relief centres were set up at SK Saujana Indah and SK Bakap Indah for 400 residents (about 90 families).
Besides the Fire and Rescue Department, other manpower and machinery involved were 30 local council staffers, 10 water tanker trucks, 15 Pulau Burung management staffers, seven excavators, two bulldozers, one backhoe loader, five site lorries, and eight generator pumps.
The underground fire was burning 20-30m beneath the surface and galvanised iron pipes were inserted 18m into the ground at 12 locations to pump water to douse the fire.
Over 40 lorry full of red soil were used to help extinguish the fire. Aerial water-bombing strategy was deployed at targeted areas with high thermal signatures.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow yesterday called for the Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP) and the landfill operator to provide an explanation for the recent fires.
“All relevant authorities and PLB Terang Sdn Bhd must investigate and reveal to the public the cause of the earlier fires.
“MBSP will handle the waste management at the Pulau Burung landfill until it finds a suitable contractor with the technology to treat the state’s waste at the landfill.”
Chow said the Pulau Burung issue was discussed at length at the state executive meetings in the last two weeks before coming to a decision.
He added that currently the MBSP is laying soil in the landfill as part of its rehabilitation programme. – The Vibes, February 25, 2022
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