GEORGE TOWN, Sept 14 ― The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) will start issuing compounds to residential landed property owners if they don’t separate their waste into recyclables and non-recyclables from 2019 onwards.
Jagdeep Singh Deo who heads the state local government, housing development and town and country planning committee said MBPP made this decision two weeks ago.
“Residential landed properties were not issued compounds when we started enforcing waste separation at source on June 1 last year and it was decided that we will start issuing compounds from January 1 next year,” he told a news conference here today.
When the local government started enforcing waste separation last year, only residential stratified properties were issued compounds if they do no comply with the regulation to separate recyclables and non-recyclable wastes.
Enforcement on waste separation against commercial properties only started on January 1 this year.
Jagdeep said there was a moratorium on the enforcement of waste separation for residential landed properties when it was enforced last year.
“They were given ample time so they now have the next few months to start separating their recyclables and non-recyclables before we enforce it,” he said.
Residential landed property owners who do not separate their waste will be issued compounds of RM250 per offence.
Those who refuse to pay the compounds will also be liable to be brought to court and face fines of up to RM2,000 or one year’s jail.
“The local council enforcement team will be conducting checks on residential properties from September to December and they will issue compounds from January onwards,” Jagdeep said.
He said the recyclable waste will be collected every Saturday so the residents can compile their recyclable waste for a week before putting it out for collection on Saturdays.
The Penang state government first started the waste separation at source in several selected residential areas back in 2015 and 2016.
The policy was fully implemented on all residential areas, high rise buildings, shopping malls, restaurants, factories and commercial buildings on June 1 in 2016.
Jagdeep said the state collected a total 329,040kg of recyclables that generated a revenue of RM80,079.81 between June 1 in 2016 and August 31 this year.
Within the same period, he said a total 165,465 notices were issued to residential landed properties for not complying with the waste separation at source policy.
Only 293 notices and 31 compounds were issued to residential stratified properties while 9,295 notices and 288 compounds were issued to commercial premises.
