Fed up with illegal dumps, group takes on waste recycling

IPOH (Sept 25): Concerned by the mammoth problem of illegal dumps in Ipoh, non-governmental organisation Ipoh City Watch and waste management company SWCorp Perak have joined forces to encourage residents to recycle their solid waste.

“It is part of our greater aim to reduce illegal dumping and solid waste materials being sent to landfills,” said Victor Chew, secretary of Ipoh City Watch.

Encouraged by the response to its first “3R Project” in Jelapang Tambahan, two similar schemes were set up last weekend in Buntong and Lim Garden, launched by Perak Women, Family, Community Welfare Development, Housing and Local Government chairman Datuk Rusnah Kassi, at Dewan Sri Maha Mariamman, Jalan Sungai Pari, Buntong.

More such schemes will gradually be set up all over the city and other parts of the state.

“The scheme in Jalapang Tambahan, which was set up in April, has been a success,” said Chew. “There were 12 illegal dumpsites in the area but now there are barely a handful.

“To date, the residents of Jelapang Tambahan have collected 4,000kg of recyclables plastics, paper and metal waste for sale.”

In addition, this project also encourages the conversion of food waste into compost, thus further reducing 43% of solid waste produced by each home.

Compost can be used as organic fertilizer to produce toxin free vegetables and fruits, promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Illegal dumps, created by indiscriminate dumping of all kinds of waste along roads in residential areas and in secluded places in most parts of the city, have been posing a health problem for many years.

It is estimated there are more than 15,000 such sites throughout the city. Ipoh City Council appears to be helpless as each time it clears an illegal dump a new site will emerge somewhere else.

Mayor after mayor has come in with a determination to solve the problem, but left without achieving it.