Green solution

WASTE CRUSHER: MPPP councillors are being persuaded to acquire bio-regen machines for markets, schools and hawker centres to turn garbage into liquid fertiliser

GEORGE TOWN: PENANG Island  councillors have been urged to use part of their allocation to buy bio-regen machines, which convert food waste into liquid fertiliser.

Penang Island municipal councillor Dr Lim Mah Hui said there were 11 such machines on the island, with four installed in schools such as SMJK (C) Heng Ee and Convent Green Lane which were supported by charity organisations like the Rotary Club.

"The waste processed so far is 185 tonnes, which is still a drop in the ocean, when compared with the total amount of waste produced in Penang.

"Effort is being made to also install such machines at the Pulau Tikus market. I urge more councillors to participate in this programme and sponsor such machines or any other similar machines in hawker complexes or schools in their areas," he said at the full council meeting here yesterday. Lim said that in August 2011, he had used part of his Cleaner and Greener Penang funds to install the machine at the Bayan Baru hawker complex.

He said enzyme was added to the liquidised food waste which was converted into rich fertiliser after 30 days.

"This project has been successfully carried out by MPPP staff and we have processed 73 tonnes of food waste, or about 120kg per day to date. "About 30 food stalls participated in this project but it should be expanded to include the other 140 stalls," he said.

Meanwhile, MPPP president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail supported the proposal for councillors to use some of their funds to acquire such machines.

Patahiyah said that each year, councillors were allocated RM45,000 for the Cleaner and Greener Penang project.

She added that one such machine will be installed at the Pulau Tikus market next week.

Penang Island Municipal Council staff use a special machine to store waste which will be turned in liquid fertiliser.