Raking in benefits of upcycling discarded matter

(Left) Sweeper Mariam Mohd Hamdan, 55, rakes dried leaves at a pocket garden. MPK collects garden waste from all around Klang for composting. (Above) MPK workers feed tree branches that have been pruned into a wood chipper to be shredded. — Photos: KK SHAM/The Star

THE lush greenery at the Shah Alam Lake Gardens off Persiaran Tasik in Shah Alam attracts thousands of parkgoers every week seeking a respite from the urban jungle.

But the trees in the park, just 600m from the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) building, also generate plenty of garden waste every day, in the form of fallen branches and leaves which need to be raked and bagged by city council contractors.

In the past, the pruned tree branches and dried leaves were dumped by the lorry loads at the nearest landfill.

But that thankfully changed about a decade ago as MBSA’s Landscape Department took to composting garden waste to be reused for land rehabilitation to improve soil quality, landscape projects and as manure for the plants around the city.

The compost is even bagged and given out free at community events.

For the past decade, MBSA has successfully operated the Shah Alam Compost Centre in Section 17, using garden waste from the Shah Alam Lake Gardens and from residential areas.

MBSA Landscape Department assistant agricultural officer Elly Faheeda Md Seri, 43, said the city generated a huge amount of dead leaves that used to be transported outside Shah Alam to the Jeram landfill.

“Green waste can be converted into compost which is an asset.

“But green waste that is compacted and buried at a landfill has less oxygen and rots at a slow pace. It creates gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, which are greenhouse gases that cause havoc in the atmosphere,” she said.

Elly added that the city council’s effort to turn fallen leaf waste into compost helped support a clean and green Shah Alam rather than allow such organic waste to rot in a landfill.

“Our compost centre started as a pilot project with two workers at the council’s nursery in 2009 where small quantities of compost was produced,” she said.

“But in 2013, we started a compost centre on a 1.4ha land and have been able to receive a larger amount of green waste daily.

“We have been able to produce an estimated 10 tonnes of compost annually.

“Composting leaves takes time, patience and effort as it takes about four to six months to complete the process.”

MBSA gets its green waste daily from 80 contractors who bag fallen leaves and send them to the centre.

“Our workers mix the pile of leaves once or twice a week using a backhoe.

“More green waste is added as it is mixed, which helps aerate the pile, allowing oxygen to get in and causing it to heat up and rot quickly, and producing high-quality compost,” she added.

Samples of the compost are tested at the Soil Science Department at University Putra Malaysia to ensure its nutrient quality.

“The product has been branded as Kompos Shah Alam, and is popular among those interested in gardening.

“Our compost results get good feedback as it is high in nutrients and the soil texture is good. We have two varieties: one is coarse and another is finer.

“For the finer compost our workers will sieve it to remove materials like plastic or pebbles before it is packed into 3kg bags,” she said.

Protecting the environment

Klang Municipal Council (MPK) Landscape and Recreational Department deputy director Azzura Zainal, 45, said leaves and tree branches made into compost and added to the soil help maintain a healthy pH level which promote root growth.

“Composting leaves and branches is a good way to return the green organic waste into the soil.

“MPK’s tree crew that goes around pruning and clearing fallen branches, on the road, would have it pulverised with a wood chipper before transporting it to the Nursery Unit at Jalan Seruling 59, Taman Klang Jaya, where it goes through the composting process,” she said.

Azzura said in 2009, the council started with three workers turning green waste into compost.

A lorry load of green waste collected from pruning works is brought into the nursery daily.

“Green waste brought in takes five to six months to compost in batches and we produce an estimated three-quarter tonne of compost annually,” she said.

She added that the department’s core function was to manage trees in Klang. Composting activity is MPK’s effort towards greening the environment.

Azzura added that organic waste used to end up in landfills and the resource was squandered.

“Composting is simple and a practical approach that makes a huge difference in protecting the environment. It also helps lessen greenhouse emissions like carbon dioxide and methane.

“Our compost is organic. On alternate days the compost mound is sprayed with water and a nifty compact tractor is used to mix the brown-coloured compost to allow efficient decomposition and moisture control until it turns darker brown, which is the final product,” she said.

Composting leaves, twigs and branches from tree pruning reduces the strain on landfills and lessens the need to buy chemical fertiliser for its soft landscape activities, Azzura added.

“Composting is a good way to upcycle discarded matter as it is being used to improve soil structure, allow better water infiltration and balanced pH levels,” she said.

MPK gives out bagged compost to the public during council events, she added.

Community involvement

The Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) has opted for a different approach by getting the community involved in compositing activities.

Over the years, the city council has given out 1,919 green compost bins to community gardens and residents in certain areas to encourage the composting of food waste scraps.

Among the areas MBSJ had given out the bins are SS18, USJ 3, USJ 17, USJ 20, USJ 6 and USJ 12.

Given out in stages since 2010, the 70L bin is suitable for outdoor composting at landed properties with at least a small garden.

Due to the size of the bins, residents were told to fill them with only food scraps, according to MBSJ Environmental Management Department control officer Mazlina Mustafa.

The residents can put in fruit peels, uncooked vegetable scraps, dried leaves and grass clippings.

However, they should not put in meat or bones and even old cooked food to avoid a putrid smell, she said.

“On giving out the free compost bins, the department will carry out a check after three months to ensure composting is being actively done.

“We have found 60% of the participants are active in composting green kitchen waste and for those inactive ones, we will guide them again and if they fail, we take back the bins,” she said.

“Composting is easy. It is just a matter of transferring the food scraps from the kitchen to the green bin, where we are doing our part to help the environment,” she said, adding that the city council aspired to expand the compost programme in other residential areas.

“For those interested in composting, our department wants residents to form a group of 30 and initiate their application through their area residential representative council.

“Before we give the compost bin, MBSJ staff will brief residents on the steps to make compost,” she said.

Mazlina added that Subang Jaya would be able to divert food scraps from landfills if all support the initiative.

USJ 6 resident Patsy Lo, 63, who has been active in the USJ 6/7 Community Garden, said she had been doing composting for eight years.

All green waste from her kitchen is taken to the garden and tossed into the compost bins.

“We need to do it for the environment. Our garden has 23 active members with about seven volunteers.

“Our members are senior citizens who find composting a sort of therapy.

“Each one brings vegetable scraps and dried leaves to fill the compost bin, add a layer of soil, moisten it with water and mix the dirt weekly,” she added.

Another resident, Aiwee Gooi, 56, enjoys spending three to four days a week at USJ 6/7 Community Garden where she tends to a vegetable plot that thrives from the compost made from food scraps.

“Composting is more like cooking, just add the green food scraps and layer it with soil. Add water and give it about three to five months. Let it rot.

“We use the compost for our vegetable and herb plots. It’s a natural fertiliser that we do not have to buy,” she said.