Pilot project to turn waste into energy in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: The government plans to carry out pilot projects at landfills in three states with a view to turning such facilities into waste-to-energy (WTE) plants.

Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad Shah said the landfills had been identified in Melaka, Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

“The matter is still under discussion with the parties involved,” he told reporters after opening the 2018 World Congress of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) here today.

A WTE plant converts solid waste into electricity and/or heat — an ecological and cost-effective way of energy recovery.

Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah said the ministry would get other states to involves in the initiative in the future.

In his speech earlier, the deputy minister noted that Malaysia currently generated about 38,000 tonnes of waste daily.

“Out of the huge amount, waste separation and recycle rate is only at 24 per cent while the remaining 76 per cent goes to the landfills,” he said, adding the ministry also hoped to raise the waste separation and recycle rate to 30 per cent by 2020.

Some 1,500 participants from over 60 countries comprising industry players are in town for the three-day congress until Wednesday. – BERNAMA

Source: NST