The Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) project has successfully removed more than 75,402 metric tonnes of waste from the Klang River from 2016 to last September.
Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin said the rubbish produced within the five-year period consisted of 50% of organic and inorganic rubbish.
According to him, the organic waste removed from the river such as common water hyacinth (plant), plants, grass and tree branches.
"Plastics account for 80% of inorganic waste, while the rest are other inorganic materials such as food and beverage packaging, aluminum, cans, rubber goods, textiles and so on," he said in a statement on Wednesday (24 November 2021).
Syaiful Azmen said, LLSB was given the mandate to increase the value of the Klang River and its banks as an economic driver for the state.
“The Klang River is often listed as one of the dirtiest rivers in the world and this situation has changed drastically.
“It’s time for our name to be removed from the list as most of the floating rubbish has already been removed.
"We have identified 38 potential locations downstream of the Klang River for the installation or upgrading of garbage traps and garbage filters in tributaries, monsoon drains and water locks that will curb the flow of floating garbage," he explained.
According to him, the initiative is the result of efforts made by SMG which aims to reduce waste production by 40% and achieve a Class III water quality index (WQI).
“Klang River is no longer listed as one of the dirtiest rivers in the world as SMG's mega initiative to conserve the 56 -kilometer (km) Klang River area was intensified after it entered the final year of the first phase from 2016 to 2022.
"The project by the end of 2022 aims to reduce the total annual waste production by 40% compared to the total collection the first year it started operating in 2016," he explained.
He said the reduction is expected to be at a rate of 33% by the end of December 2022.
He explained that the Selangor government has made this river cleaning initiative a priority and is committed towards meeting the targets set by taking additional measures to stop solid waste and liquid waste (effluent) from entering the Klang River.
He said plans to expand efforts to clean the river into drainage were made during a recent roundtable session.
He said, several representatives from Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ), Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) and Klang Municipal Council (MPK) discussed to find a solution together with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Selangor and Selangor State Economic Development Unit (UPEN).
“The session was chaired by the Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) and other initiatives to curb solid waste from entering the river included holding more awareness and education activities jointly organized.
"This is to encourage the community in the municipal council area, especially those who live near the river to always practice recycling and dispose of garbage responsibly.
"With the collective efforts of the four municipalities and state agencies along with environmental awareness among community members and the active participation of NGOs and businesses, I am confident that we can achieve that 40 per cent," Syaiful said.
According to him, the project has produced an average of 1,000 metric tonnes of garbage per month in 2018 compared to 1,500 metric tonnes of garbage a month earlier.
"With various additional measures to trap garbage before it enters the Klang River along with the existing garbage trapping methods, we aim to further reduce the production rate to 900 metric tonnes of garbage per month by the end of next year," he said.
Reference Links -
[1] Sinar Harian