Khalid: SWCorp is stepping up efforts to combat unauthorised drain modifications by working hand-in-hand with local authorities.
GETTING highrise residents to separate their waste properly remains a major challenge although solid waste separation at source is now mandatory in Kuala Lumpur.
Federal Territories Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) chief executive officer Khalid Mohamed said while joint management bodies (JMB) and management committees (MC) were responsible for ensuring compliance, the diversity and dense population at such buildings complicated the effort.
“Not all residents understand or consistently practise waste segregation at home.
“The role of the JMB or MC is to ensure residents dispose of waste at designated collection points according to correct waste categories.
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“This means residents are required to segregate their waste at home before bringing it down to the collection point,” he said in a written reply to StarMetro.
Khalid said SWCorp carried out regular enforcement at all highrises in Kuala Lumpur.
In 2024, a total of 469 JMBs or MCs overseeing stratified residences in Kuala Lumpur were inspected.
“During these inspections, the designated waste collection points within each stratified property were thoroughly assessed to ensure compliance with waste management regulations.
“We also provide detailed explanations to JMBs and MCs about their responsibility in ensuring the separation of recyclable waste and residual waste at designated collection points.
“As of now, enforcement is targeted at landed premises in Kuala Lumpur.
“No compounds have been issued to the JMB or MC of highrises,” he said.
Since Sept 1, 2015, the government has made solid waste segregation at source mandatory, in line with the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).
The Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya are among states that have adopted Act 672, along with Pahang, Johor, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Perlis and Kedah.
According to SWCorp, implementation efforts were carried out in three phases.
Phase 1, from Aug 1 to Dec 31, 2016 – focused on notifying and engaging JMBs to ensure they understood the importance of separation at source.
Phase 2, from Jan 1 to June 30, 2017, introduced inspections while engagement efforts continued.
These inspections, carried out using a separation-at-source implementation checklist for residential highrises, was for assessing compliance.
JMBs failing to implement solid waste segregation initiatives would receive warning letters.
Phase 3 began on July 1, 2017, marking the enforcement stage.
Stricter actions were introduced to ensure compliance with separation-at-source regulations.
For highrise properties, Khalid said SWCorp had issued reminders to the JMB and MC to intensify engagement with residents to ensure proper waste segregation and to make it a daily practice.
“We have consistently carried out public awareness campaigns for various target group activities including talks and exhibitions held both in and outside of non-Act states.”
SWCorp has held 3,054 exhibitions and 5,369 talks nationwide since 2016, with 527 exhibitions and 500 talks in 2024 regarding SAS awareness.
Khalid said SWCorp, through waste concessionaire Alam Flora, had provided two types of recycling collection facilities – dry-mix recyclables (DMR bins) and recycling cages.
“A total of 105 DMR bins and 990 recycling cages have been placed in highrise buildings in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.”
To ensure recyclable waste in highrise residences do not get mixed with general waste, SWCorp has instructed concessionaires to place dedicated DMR bins near rubbish houses.
“This makes it easier for residents to separate recyclables from regular rubbish.
“SWCorp also requires waste concessionaires to use dedicated vehicles for collecting recyclables so that the rubbish that residents have separated, doesn’t end up in the landfill,” he said.
To keep things on track, SWCorp carries out routine monitoring to ensure that contractors are not mixing recyclables with general waste. — By SHALINI RAVINDRAN
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