The state of Penang is planning to resolve the rising costs of managing solid waste by adopting new technologies and strategies over the next five years. According to State Executive Councillor Jason H’ng, the state will adopt waste-to-energy and waste-to-biomass solutions to reduce the costs of solid waste management. The state will also reduce the logistic costs of transporting waste from households to the Pulau Burung landfill. Additionally, the state aims to encourage ratepayers to reduce solid waste collection and subscribe to the recycling principles.
H’ng revealed that the state had to allocate RM60 million this year to handle waste disposal, and that saving RM10 million per year could go towards building public amenities and generating more facilities for ratepayers. He emphasized the need for a new approach to handling solid waste, as the current system is becoming costly and burdensome.
In a separate development, H’ng announced that the state would strictly enforce the ban on the sale of eyeball gummy candy near schools, following the tragic death of a 10-year-old boy who choked on the candy. The incident highlights the importance of enforcing regulations designed to protect children from food-related hazards, such as the Guidelines on Enforcement of the Ban on Food and Beverage Sales Outside School Gates.
Overall, the state is taking steps to address the rising costs of solid waste management and ensuring the safety and well-being of the public, particularly children.