Composting plants to be set up in each residential area

PENANG plans to take another step forward in its green campaign next year. A composting plant will be set up in each residential area to process food waste into liquid fertilisers. State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the facility would be paid for by the respective assemblyman’s allocation. “The project which is based on 3As — availability, accessibility and affordability — will be available in residential areas as the state intends to expand its effort from hawker centres to households. “By placing the composting plants within the community, we hope to make it more convenient for the people to bring their waste to be processed into fertilisers. “The composting plant is meant to educate the people on the benefits of recycling,” he told a press conference after launching the Penang Eco-Town workshop at a hotel yesterday. Phee added that the approach would be executed through four approaches — educate, create awareness, implement and enforce. “However, we do not intend to impose strict regulations on the people because the commitment to go green should come from within ourselves.” There are currently three composting plants which are at the Bagan Ajam market in Butterworth, Bayan Baru market in Penang and the Desa Damai resource centre in Bukit Mertajam. On May 3, The Star reported that the pilot project at the Bagan Ajam market could process organic wastes into fertilisers within 24 hours.- The Star