Penang launches new recycling app

GEORGE TOWN (Sept 23): The Penang Green Council has developed a mobile application that encourages waste segregation and recycling in the hope that it will familiarise people with the practice before Penang adopts it next year.

Through Trash2Treasure the public can find recycling centres, as well as find new owners or buyers for their used items through the core function “Trade In Your Ex”.

“By converting waste into useful materials and products, we can create a zero waste economy. Successful source separation will contribute to the financial and environmental sustainability of the waste sector,” Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng said at the launch of the new app at his Komtar office yesterday.

Lim, who is also chairman of the Penang Green Council, said Putrajaya had implemented the mandatory waste segregation at source in six states and two Federal Territories since Sept 1 but critics have pointed out the lack of publicity and information on the new policy.

He said many people were still unaware of the mechanism, and the Penang government wanted to avoid facing the same situation next year.

“Since the federal government is not subsidising the mega waste facilities in Penang, we solely rely on private initiatives to divert the waste from the only landfill in Penang: Pulau Burung. We also need the public to play a role to save costs in waste management,” he said.

It costs between RM100 and RM120 to collect, transport and treat a tonne of waste. The estimated landfill life span is 42 years if it is equipped with material recovery facilities (MRF) and could last for 60 years if food waste converter is equipped as well.

In Penang last year, 656,090 tonnes of waste were generated and an average of 1,700 to 1,800 tonnes of waste were sent to the Pulau Burung landfill every day.

However, waste generated has been successfully reduced in the past few years -- from 816,625 tonnes in 2012 to 646,212 tonnes in 2013 -- although it increased slightly last year.

The waste reduction, Lim said, was due to recycling and green initiatives introduced by the state in recent years, including the banning of plastic bags at shopping centres and similarly polystyrene food containers.

He said Penang achieved the highest recycling rate of 32% last year, which was better than the current national recycling rate of 10.5% and the national target of 22% by 2020.

“Penang is hoping to achieve the international standard of a 40% recycling rate by 2020,” he said.

The new app is free at Google Play Store and Apple App Store.