sampah

ANOTHER CAMPAIGN GONE COLD.

2012-02-03T00:13:00.000-08:00

Time to widen the ‘No Plastic Bags’ ruling says Dr Joginder.

IT was on Jan 1 last year that the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry launched the “No Plastic Bags on Saturday” campaign.

The campaign was simultaneously launched in all states with the themeSave Our Future Generation and Earth. The ministry said the effort was to reduce waste: it’s projections showed that Malaysians would create 30,000 tonnes of solid waste daily by the year 2020.

It was a noble effort, as the ministry put it, “to support the Government’s effort to preserve the environment and the depleting resources while instilling environment-friendly values among the public and businesses”.

It was obvious from the beginning, a recycling attitude wasn’t very much a part of our DNA. After all, the plastic bag was an age-old established tradition.

As such, an escape clause was included – shoppers who decided to do their shopping on Saturdays and required plastic bags could still get them, at 20 sen a bag.

It was reported that “the money collected from the fee would be channelled into a special fund used to conduct environment preservation and protection related programmes as well as activities for consumers and communities”.

In the campaign’s infancy, many shoppers on Saturdays were unaware and ended up having to buy plastic bags.

Maybe many also thought 20 sen a bag was an acceptable compromise.

But I gladly bought three recyclable bags, and am proud to say that these bags have served me well even till today. In fact I use them now on most days when I do shopping.

I must admit I see more recyclable shopping bags now. However, on Saturdays, the plastic bag unfortunately still rules with a vengeance.

After building the scenario, I would like to raise a few issues.

First, the goal was “to preserve the environment and the depleting resources while instilling environment-friendly values among the public and businesses”.

It has been one year, and I think enough time has been given to educate the public and businesses. Shouldn’t we now move on to the next level, i.e. no more plastic bags on Saturdays to eventually increasing the days involved to every day of the week?

The culture we hoped to inculcate was a sense of responsibility in saving our environment. Thus, still allowing the sale of the bags, even at 20 sen, after one year of soft approach to prepare the consumer now seems a bit of a cop out.

Shoppers have been given enough notice. Unless we make the leap to the next level, the rate of change may not be realistic to achieve the goals set.

I am also very much curious about the mentioned “special fund used to conduct environment

preservation and protection related programmes as well as activities for consumers and communities”.

How much has been raised? What has been done so far? What programmes are there in the pipeline?

After all the noble efforts, shouldn’t the public and the businesses at least know the good coming out of it?

Shouldn’t it be time to expand this ruling to all businesses, not just the bigger hypermarkets and retail outlets?

Aren’t we are all children of the same Earth?

A famous native American saying goes, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

I think it is time to move on to the next level . More can and should be done.

Reproduced from the STAR

A DIDICATION TO THOSE WHO DIED TO KEEP IT BEAUTIFUL AND ALIVE.

2011-12-07T05:19:00.000-08:00

This is an attempt to highlight the fact that world leaders, irresponsible corporates and mindless 'consumers' are combining to destroy life on earth.

It is dedicated to all who died fighting for the planet and those whose lives are on the line today.

….and not forgetting Bruno Manser who disappeared whilst fighting for the Penans.

DANG! THAT SURE IS A HUGE LOAD!

2011-12-04T22:11:00.000-08:00

For a population of 1.8million poop generated could be converted into renewable energy, no? Just thinking out loud for Malaysia with a ~~poopulation~~ population of more than 28million.

Youtube courtesy of Mary Maguire

THE SMASHING STORY OF GLASS.

2011-11-13T21:57:00.000-08:00

I know of an organization up north that collects clear glass and exports them to Europe for use in Solar Panels.

RUBBISH, NOT MY BUSINESS?

2011-10-27T23:57:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT IF IT IS YOUR BUSINESS.

IS GEBENG LYNAS’ WASTE BIN?

2011-10-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

MALAYSIA’S FIRST KILLER PLANT.

PLEASE VIEW ON BIG SCREEN

SAMPAH CHALLENGES ASTRO TO SHOW THIS!

ONLY THE DUMB DUMPS OR INCINERATE?

2011-10-13T00:37:00.001-07:00

Are we determined to increase the amount of waste we are recycling and composting? Have we set a target and if we have what steps are we implementing to meet this target? What is happening to the municipal residual waste after the rest has been sent for recycling and composting. Is the Ministry formulating the most efficient and effective strategy for dealing with residual waste?

Until now, sending all residual waste to landfill has been the most common and short-cut practice. Short-cuts are not solutions. This has got to change. The whole world is doing its utmost to cut down on landfills. Historically, landfill has been the cheaper options but will not be so for much longer. We are a small country and waste management seems not to get priority attention, unlike say, the European Countries. I read that the European Landfill Directive has set very stringent targets to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and failure to comply could potentially lead to severe European refraction fines. They have set targets that by 2010 bio-degradable municipal waste going to landfill must be 75% of 1995 levels, 50% by 2013, and 35% by 2020. DO WE EVEN HAVE THESE TARGETS?

Shouldn’t there be a strong environmental incentive to reduce land filled waste as landfill is a major contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, due to the methane rleased by decomposing waste.

Wouldn’t energy recovery technologies be the best alternative to landfills in terms of how we deal with residual waste?

Like always, Malaysia looks for the easiest way out of a problem. Our answer to energy recovery technologies is INCINERATION. We have some 5 or 6 incinerators and after spending millions, NONE are operating! Yes, NONE! And I am aware that the Selangor government did go to China to negotiate the possibility of having another incinerator to solve its waste management problems.

Incinerators do not provide a renewable source of energy through “capturing” the energy produced by burning waste. The incineration of recyclable material actually results in even more fossil fuel energy being consumed because more of the same materials will need to be used to replace them.

When waste is burned in an incinerator, heat is produced which can be used to create electricity. Proponents of “energy from waste” incinerators claim that electricity created when waste is burned is a type of renewable energy as it displaces the equivalent amount of electricity to be generated at a power station from fossil fuels. However the truth is that incineration actually INCREASES emission of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming compared to recycling. The incinerator will increase Co2 enormously! This means that energy from waste incinerators contribute to climate change rather than reducing it. Here is why!

I quote from “Sound Resources Management Group Inc.”

1. The level of energy “captured” in incinerators compared to the potential energy present in the waste is very low.

2. Incinerators burn fossil fuels when plastic is present in the waste stream, as plastic is made from oil.

3. When materials are destroyed in incinerators, new onces have to be made to replace them. The extraction and processing of virgin materials uses huge amounts of energy. E.g. creating a tone of aluminum cans, made from raw material bauxite, takes around fine times as much energy as producing a tone of recycled aluminum cans. A Canadian study estimated than “on average recycling saves three to five times as much energy as is produced by incerating municipal solid waste.”

TO FILL OR NOT TO FILL!

2011-10-05T04:26:00.000-07:00

MAYBE OUR YANG BERKHIDMAT CAN DECIDE?

YOU THINK OUR CITY ELDERS CARE?

2011-10-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

Statement by Dr. Joan Clos, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Executive Director of UN-HABITAT on the occasion of World Habitat Day, 3 October 2011

Each year on World Habitat Day, the first Monday in October, we bring to the world's attention a matter of great concern in our rapidly urbanizing world. This year we look at the impact of cities in creating climate change, and, in turn, the impact of climate disruption on cities, and what cities are doing about it.

We live in an age where the world's population will have grown to 7 billion by the end of this month and where more than half of them live in towns and cities. Projections indicate that this will increase to two-thirds in just over a generation from now. How we manage this rapid urbanisation is one of the greatest challenges facing us.

We must bear in mind that the greatest repercussions of climate disasters both begin and end in cities.

According to UN-HABITAT's Cities and Climate Change: Global Report on Human Settlements, it is estimated that by 2050, there could be as many as 200 million environmental refugees worldwide, many of whom will be forced from their homes by rising sea levels and the increased frequency of flooding or drought.

Prevention should be addressed through better urban planning and building codes so that city residents, especially the poorest, are protected as far as possible against disaster. Such measures can also help to keep their ecological footprint to the minimum.

Climate induced risks such as rising sea levels, tropical cyclones, heavy precipitation events and extreme weather conditions can disrupt the basic fabric and functioning of cities with widespread reverberations for the physical infrastructure, economy and society of cities. These include public health risks in urban areas.

We already know that the impacts of climate disruption will be particularly severe in low-elevation coastal zones where many of the world's largest cities are located. And always it is the urban poor, especially slum dwellers, who are most at risk when disaster strikes. We need to stress the provision of adequate adaptation measures based on urban planning.

Even though we are still trying to understand some of these extreme climatic events, we have the know-how and the strategies to take preventive measures.

Urbanization offers many opportunities to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies to deal with climate change. Given that most global energy consumption occurs in cities, roughly half of it from burning fossil fuels in cities for urban transport, the solution seems obvious.

This is due to the fact that the economies of scale produced by the concentration of economic activities in cities also make it cheaper and easier to take action to minimize both emissions and climate hazards.

The social, economic and political actors within cities must therefore become key players in developing these strategies.

Many towns and cities, especially in developing countries, are still grappling with climate change strategies, working out how to access international climate change funding and how to learn from pioneering cities.

We should reflect on this World Habitat Day on how we turn our cities – arguably the greatest achievements of human civilisation – into better cities for the future.

FLASH MOBBING ANYONE?

2011-09-22T00:44:00.001-07:00

WHAT ARE FLASHMOBS?

It is where a whole load of people get together and do something unexpected and seemingly unplanned…..like dance routines, or standing stock still in busy places. Well, one of Twitter’s most followed celbs, Stephen Fry (@stephenfry if you want to follow) retweeted a video link to a Flashmob with a message. The bideo explains it best, but a shopping centre in Canada waits…..and waits….and waits for a good citizen to pick up and recycle a plastic bottle, strategically left next to a recycling bin. The cheer she received for doing so cannot fail to raise a smile. Watch this video and ask yourself how long it would take someone in your office, shopping mall or town or neighborhood to do the same.

Flashmob at KLCC HERE

ANY IDEAS FOR THE NEXT FLASHMOB?

TAKING OVER SELANGOR? WEAPON? WASTE!

2011-09-20T01:24:00.000-07:00

The first salvo is FIRED!

ALAM FLORA, will cease collecting Selangor waste on

15 October!

The Selangor State Government Exco is meeting this evening to address this potential chaos.

You do not need much guessing on who is behind this.

The Federal Government, read BN, has tried all means from religion to race to win back Selangor.

The people in Selangor were not easily cowed.

They stood their ground until now.

But it will be different now, you bet.

The Federal Government have resorted to playing with DIRT!

Their crony company will let your waste pile high.

HOW NOW SELANGOR?

CAUGHT FLAT-FOOTED?

ITS WAR YAH?

AND WARS ARE ALWAYS DIRTY, NO?

WASTE CHAT 01

2011-08-19T00:27:00.000-07:00

News reached Sampahman this month of a story worth a posting here. ERIN O’CONNOR a super model has teamed up with SodaStream to launch a WORLD WITHOUT BOTTLES.

She is spearheading the drive to educate consumers on the benefits of “PRECYCLING” – which they say is reducing waste before recycling is necessary, or what you and I would simple call “waste reduction”. Now is this possible…..world without bottles. Lets hear from you.

+++++

Karl Lagerfeld has described Erin O’Connor as "one of the best models in the world and The Sunday Times in 2007 considered her to be the 39th richest person under 30 in the United Kingdom, with an estimated wealth of 12 million pounds.

RARE EARTH CHINESE EXPERTS EMBARRASSED IN MALAYSIA.

2011-08-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

SUGGESTION:

VIEW ON WIDE SCREEN

HIT PAUSE BUTTON TO READ THE ENGLISH SUBTITLES

WILL WE GO POTS OVER POT?

2011-08-07T23:43:00.000-07:00

MEDICINES SHOULD BE MADE FROM HEMP.

We should go back to the days when the AMA supported cannabis cures. ‘Medical Marijuana’ is given out legally to only a handful of people while the rest of us are forced into a system that relies on chemicals. Pot is only healthy for the human body.

WORLD HUNGER COULD END.

A large variety of food products can be generated from hemp. The seeds contain one of the highest sources of protein in nature. ALSO: They have two essential fatty acids that clean your body of cholesterol. These essential fatty acids are not found anywhere else in nature! Consuming pot seeds is the best thing you could do for your body. Eat uncooked hemp seeds.

CLOTHES SHOULD BE MADE FROM HEMP.

Hemp clothing is extremely strong and durable over time. You could hand clothing, made from pot, down to your grandchildren. Today, there are American companies that make hemp clothing; usually 50% hemp. Hemp fabrics should be everywhere. Instead, they are almost underground. Superior hemp products are not allowed to advertise on fascist television. Kentucky, once the top hemp producing state, made it ILLEGAL TO WEAR hemp clothing! Can you imagine being thrown into jail for wearing quality jeans?

The world is crazy…but that does not mean you have to join the insanity. Get together. Spread the news. Tell people, and that includes your children, the truth. Use hemp products. Eliminate the word ‘marijuana.’ Realize the history that created it. Make it politically incorrect to say or print the M-word. Fight against the propaganda (designed to favor the agenda of the super rich) and the bullshit. Hemp must be utilized in the future. We need a clean energy source to save our planet. INDUSTRIALIZE HEMP!

The liquor, tobacco and oil companies fund more than a million dollars a day to Partnership for a Drug-Free America and other similar agencies. We have all seen their commercials. Now, their motto is: ‘It’s more dangerous than we thought.’ Lies from the powerful corporations, that began with Hearst, are still alive and well today.

The brainwashing continues. Now, the commercials say: If you buy a joint, you contribute to murders and gang wars. The latest anti-pot commercials say: If you buy a joint…you are promoting TERRORISM! The new enemy (terrorism) has paved the road to brainwash you any way THEY see fit.

There is only one enemy; the friendly people you pay your taxes to; the war-makers and nature destroyers. With your funding, they are killing the world right in front of your eyes. HALF A MILLION DEATHS EACH YEAR ARE CAUSED BY TOBACCO. HALF A MILLION DEATHS EACH YEAR ARE CAUSED BY ALCOHOL. NO ONE HAS EVER, EVER DIED FROM SMOKING POT!! In the entire history of the human race, not one death can be attributed to cannabis. Our society has outlawed grass but condones the use of the KILLERS: TOBACCO and ALCOHOL. Hemp should be declassified and placed in DRUG stores to relieve stress. Hardening and constriction of the arteries are bad; but hemp usage actually enlarges the arteries…which is a healthy condition. We have been so conditioned to think that: Smoking is harmful. That is NOT the case for passive pot.

Ingesting THC, hemp’s active agent, has a positive effect; relieving asthma and glaucoma. A joint tends to alleviate the nausea caused by chemotherapy. You are able to eat on hemp. This is a healthy state of being.

THE MARIJUANA CONSPIRACY

HERE

SEIMENS AND LYNAS - BUSINESS AS USUAL?

2011-08-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

Efforts to get LYNAS out of Gebeng, Kuantan seems to be ignored by corporations. SIEMENS is the latest! Their latest JV with Lynas is like them telling us, UP YOU….LAMP and US….it is business as usual.

“As you all know, Siemens have recently signed a letter of intent for a JV with Lynas Corp to operate a plant to produce magnets here in Malaysia,” said Fuziah Salleh, MP Kuantan. “Even though the JV has nothing to do with rare earth refinery and extraction, it does provide justification for the existence of LAMP. At the same time it also contradicts Siemens corporate values of supporting Green technology.
This is a great concern for the folks in Kuantan. Thus I have asked to meet Siemens, to which they have responded well.”

+++++

SIEMENS CORE VALUES

Our Values - responsible, excellent and innovative - have been the basis for Siemens' success for over 160 years.

Responsible: Committed to ethical and responsible actions

Excellent: Achieving high performance and excellent results

Innovative: Being innovative to create sustainable value

At Siemens, we are determined to meet – and wherever possible, exceed – all legal and ethical requirements. Our responsibility is to conduct all business according to the highest professional and ethical standards and practices:

there must be no tolerance for non-compliant behavior.

The principles related to "Responsible" serve as the compass by which we navigate our way through our business decisions. We must alsoencourage business partners, suppliers and other stakeholders to adopt a similar standard of ethical behavior.

Siemens boast of a slogan that they live by

WE SAY IT, WE MEAN IT.

REALLY?

MORE HERE

GOOD! BUT WHY ONLY PAKATAN STATES?

2011-06-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR (June 29, 2011): PENANG Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) welcomed the federal government’s decision to exempt Pakatan Rakyat controlled states from enforcement of the Solid Waste and Urban Cleansing Management Act 2007.

The powers to manage the state’s solid waste and urban cleansing system will remain with the respective local councils.

In a written response to Lim (pix) in the Dewan Rakyat, the Housing and Local Council Ministry confirmed that the Act will be enforced from Sept 1, after several delays over the past years, with the last being in March this year.

Under the Act, management of solid waste will be privatised by the federal government and handled by several companies which have been appointed through limited tenders.

“The main criteria on appointment of the companies include its technical and financial capabilities, as well experience in relevant fields.

“Service charges paid to the companies will be based on fees collected from each premises and it is expected to be the most competitive as well as at par with the quality of services offered,” said the ministry.

However, it said the actual rate will only be announced once the agreement has been finalised.

Lim had asked the government for an update on the privatisation process which was reportedly delayed due to unresolved “technical issues”.

He also enquired about criteria for the appointed concessionaires and the final cost for all services offered.

Source: The Sun

"I AM SPEECHLESS!"

2011-06-28T06:21:00.000-07:00

The Langkawi International Dialogue delegates visited RESB last monday. One of the delegates, Christopher M B Pastakia, Environmental Planning and Management Advisor, UK remarked at the end of the visit: “I am speechless that this can be done.....using waste to generate electricity for the industries and homes in the community."

Early this month, the MD and Advisor of Recycle Energy Sdn Bhd, was in Chicago, US to receive a prestigious award from POWER magazine, a mag that is older than National Geographic. You can read about this HERE

+++++

The Award was also featured HERE

Feel free to visit their FB HERE

LID DELEGATES GIVES THUMBS UP TO RESB

2011-06-21T23:36:00.000-07:00

AFRICAN DELEGATES INSPIRED BY WASTE MANAGEMENT PROCESS.

Bernama 21June 2011

By Choong En Han

Impressed by how a Malaysian company has managed to turn waste into energy, African countries will now take back the experience, which they believe, can be the solution to managing waste back home in their respective countries.

“We are still using landfills to dump our rubbish and we certainly don’t have anything close to this back home. Perhaps we can follow a similar path and integrate the same soluntion in our country,” said Zimbawe Ministry of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Secretary, Partson Mbirri.

He expressed surprised at the existence of the waste Management Plant (Recycled Energy Sdn Bhd, RESB) which one would expect only existed in a developed country, he said that initial capital may be needed but this is the way forward.

Mbirri was part of the 9^th Langkawi International Dialogue (LID2011) delegation which visited Core Competencies whose RESB plamt in Semenyih, Selangor, converts municipal waste into electricity.

The company operates an integrated soloid waste management system that recovers 80% of its raw waste in the form of reusable items and an industrial fuel which generates electricity.

RESB Chairman Datuk Dr Mohamed Ariffin Hajio Aton said the self-sustainable plant received between 550 tonnes and 650 tonnes of municipal waste per day from Kajang and Cheras, generating between 5.5 and 8.5 megawatts of electricity, daily.”

“The plant is capable of handling up to 1000 tonnes of waste everyday. The organization is currently in the midst of negotiating the setting up of similar plant in batu Pahat, Johore.”

“When the Feed-in-Tariff is in place, hopefully by September, our revenue from power generation will probably double due to the revised power rates at which the national grid operator will buy (electricity) from us,” Datuk Mohamed Ariffin said.

He welcomed potential tie-up with African parties. Core Competencies is currently in talks with prospective partners in China, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

MARIAM MOKHTAR SAYS IT AS IT IS.

2011-06-11T20:05:00.001-07:00

After the meltdown at the reactor in Fukushima, Japan, governments around the world were quick to review their nuclear programmes. Germany has said it will decommission all 27 of its nuclear power stations by 2022.

Our government seems to do the opposite and is steaming ahead with an ambitious nuclear programme.

So are we really concerned about our environment or am I being overly pessimistic? Caring for the environment is a collective responsibility.

THE WOODS

2011-06-05T20:55:00.001-07:00

WE ALWAYS DO WHAT OTHERS REJECT!

2011-06-01T23:17:00.000-07:00

GERMANY’S reputation as an advanced first-world country is indisputable! The country’s maintenance culture and quality products are best-in-class.

Germany said it would close all of its 17 nuclear reactors by 2022, a sharp policy reversal that will make it the first major economy to quit atomic power in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan. What do you think? Is the plan an over-reaction to recent events in Japan? Can nuclear energy be safe and reliable, in a world of unforseen natural disasters and purposeful hacker attacks? Are safe, sustainable alternative forms of energy ready to fuel the needs of the industrialized world? HERE

+++++

I ask my favorite question again: How can we manage nuclear waste when we are struggling with simple municipal waste. Our answer, according to the the Ministry is build and dump our wastes into more landfills! With our below par third-world maintenance mentality, how can Malaysia aspire go nuclear when we can’t even manage an above-board agreement with the Independent Power Producer. How can we even dare to think out of the box when we have clowns telling the whole world that increase in oil prices is all because of climate change, thus burdening us with an increased power tariffs. We are forever lowering standards, like bringing down the pass mark for Add Maths to 15% and lowering other marks so that we can say we got students that can achieve 19As.

Dang! We don’t need a nuclear disaster to finish us off…..we are already in self-destruct mode!

SOME REVELATIONS NO MAINSTREAM MEDIA WILL REPORT.

2011-05-29T01:22:00.000-07:00

A WAKEUP STORY

2011-05-23T01:25:00.000-07:00

....And this is how the change begins. Thank you for planting a most important seed of hope. It starts with the information (or sadly with a tragedy) and it blooms into a mighty forest of people with the same intention: To protect our children and create the world they deserve....a world they can truly call HOME! Thank you for planting the seed!

BOTTLES OF MESS

2011-05-19T07:07:00.001-07:00

Isn’t it a waste that we buy water in plastic bottles when it is basically free out of our taps? Even health food stores, which should know better, sell it like crazy. When did Earth’s most abundant and free natural resource become a commercial ‘beverage’?

Bottled water has been a big-selling commercial beverage around the world since the late 1980s. According to the Worldwatch Institute, global bottled water consumption has more than quadrupled since 1990. Today Americans consume over 30 billion liters of water out of some 50 billion (mostly plastic) bottles every year. The Beverage Marketing Association reports that in 2008 bottled water comprised over 28 percent of the U.S. liquid refreshment beverage market. The only bottled drinks Americans consume more of are carbonated sodas like Coke and Pepsi.

And frankly, yes, it is a ridiculous waste that we obtain so much of our drinking water this way when it is free flowing and just as good if not better for you right out of the tap. According to the Earth Policy Institute (EPI), some 2.7 million tons of petroleum-derived plastic are used to bottle water around the world every year. “Making bottles to meet Americans’ demand for bottled water requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel some 100,000 U.S. cars for a year,” says EPI researcher Emily Arnold. And just because we can recycle these bottles does not mean that we do: The Container Recycling Institute reports that 86 percent of plastic water bottles in the U.S. end up as garbage or litter.

The financial costs to consumers are high, too: According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), bottled water costs up to 1,900 times more than tap water. And the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reports that 90 percent or more of the money consumers shell out for it pays for everything but the water itself: bottling, packaging, shipping, marketing, other expenses—and, of course, profits.

EWG is particularly appalled at the lack of transparency by leading bottled water sellers as to the sources of their water and whether it is purified or has been tested for contaminants. According to a recent survey by the group, 18 percent of the 173 bottled waters on the U.S. market today fail to list the location of their source; a third disclose nothing about the treatment or purity of the water inside their plastic bottles.

“Among the ten best-selling brands, nine—Pepsi’s Aquafina, Coca-Cola’s Dasani, Crystal Geyser and six of seven Nestlé brands—don’t answer at least one of those questions,” reports EWG. Only Nestlé’s Pure Life Purified Water “discloses its specific geographic water source and treatment method…and offers an 800-number, website or mailing address where consumers can request a water quality test report.”

EWG recommends that consumer resist the urge to buy bottled water and go instead for filtered tap water. “You’ll save money, drink water that’s purer than tap water and help solve the global glut of plastic bottles,” the group advises, adding that it supports stronger federal standards to enforce consumers’ right to know about what’s in their bottled water besides water. Until that day comes, concerned consumes should check out EWG’s Bottled Water Scorecard, a free website that provides information on various bottled water brands, where they originate and whether and how they are treated to remove contaminants.

Source: EarthTalk.

EASTER SUNDAY IN KUANTAN.

2011-04-28T00:10:00.000-07:00

“Investors will only go to clean states like Penang and Selangor. Pahang is not a clean state considering that we welcomed controversial companies to Bukit Koman and Lynas,” said Datuk Fauzi, former MP when kicking off the Citizens of Kuantan Forum. "Take a ride to Kuantan Port and see how busy the port is," he urged me after the Forum. We went.

PORT OF KUANTAN CLOSED ON EASTER SUNDAY?

Only the lonely……

Are you lonesome……tonight

See and Read More HERE

IN SOLIDARITY AGAINST LYNAS.

2011-04-21T22:27:00.000-07:00

Will give

undivided

support to

THE "REVIEWER" FUMES....

2011-03-29T20:37:00.001-07:00

By EMBUN MAJID
embun@thestar.com.my | Mar 28, 2011

Chor: Several technical issues need to be reviewed

ALOR SETAR: Technical glitches have delayed the enforcement of the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleanliness Act 2007, which was initially due to be implemented next month.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said the delay was to allow an in-depth study of several technical aspects before the Act was to be enforced.

“The Act was tabled before the Cabinet recently and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, after listening to the enforcement aspects, felt that there were one or two technical issues that needed to be reviewed,” he said ………

ANOTHER MOCKERY, she fumes……..

These people are very good at managing by excuses.... and not managing for results. It looks like the PM’s theme of 1 Malaysia, People First, Perfomance Now doesn’t sink in doing their work. It is scary to even think, if a law need to be passed and yet the implementation and worst, repercussion (so called technical) has not been fully thought out. It can mean 2 things,:

(1) the Consultant ( Kue Low) that the Ministry fully depends are not effective or are more interested in having their relevance being there ( off course with the blessing of relevance tuan pegawai who is so worried about position and pencen, or who are already on pension, now its Pay Off time at the cost of the public) until they MAMPUS, (how I wish the government are transparent in telling how much they are paying these so called consultants), and

(2) my friend thought the Act was bulldozed through during the time by the Ah Keow Minister (for reasons well known to a lot of people – 1 + 1 equals one for you and one for me) so no one must question. Now, we all can see the result. Don’t be ashame Mr. Authroity, what has been done has been done, but since it has yet to be implemented, better take time to think through and implement what is best for 1 Malaysia, People First, Performance Now ( Malaysian are already matured by now if they think that all this are not known to people.

Another friend voiced out his concern that, with this so called “ the period to correct technical glitches” , all this give rise to “kawanlonies” to quicky grab whatever projects they could ( of course through the comrades in the power that be) in the name of technologically advance company ( in actual fact without the relevant track record ) but being backed up by the KONSULTANS ) while things are grey, so much so by the time the Act is in being implemented and, the PEMUTIHAN is now complemented, and everybody lives happily ever after.

One other friend also was curious, and asked why with so many independent reports provided by third parties (some sponsored by UN and at times by our government), why don’t they go along with the recommendations, rather they (KONSULTANS) will tell our pegawai what to do (according to their plans). I think its high time, those reports should be made available for public to comment rather than hiding in the closet. Post it into the virtual library. Then at least the public can see that they WALK THE TALK, and NOT TALK THE C_ _K.

Reviewer of Sanitary Board

BUILT ON LANDFILLS.

2011-03-28T03:49:00.000-07:00

MANY people cannot afford to buy houses from the open commercial property market and so look to the government authorities to build cheap and comfortable housing units for them.

The demand for public housing is a never-ending problem as the population keeps increasing but the high cost and scarcity of land, especially in the urban areas, are a big constraint on the authorities in their bid to build affordable houses for the people.

So, it is ironic that five blocks of 13-storey flats built under the Public Housing Projects (PPR) programme in Kelana Jaya, with 1,580 fully completed units, are left to rot for several years.

No notice board has been put up at the PPR project site to explain what the problem is, but word is going around that the buildings built on a former landfill are not fit for occupation.

Maintenance workers at the site said they had heard claims that the soil emitted contaminated gas which could cause health problems.

According to the workers, the buildings had actually been left empty for nearly five years.

A clue to this heavily cloaked mystery was literally “unearthed” when a family of a nearby terrace house renovated their house in May last year.

The family was shocked to discover that their house was standing precariously on just a thin layer of soil measuring only 15cm in depth and there was nothing but compressed garbage underneath.

“Plastic bags, tyres, styrofoams — these were what we found. That is the foundation of our house,” Nana Tan said.

“We bought the house with our life savings. This is our only house and we are still paying for it with our hard-earned money. Imagine the big blow when we found out what lay underneath our home,” she said.

Tan said she had no choice but to spend a big sum of money to excavate the garbage and fill up the hollow with soil.

“The workers dug out tonnes of rubbish. The lorries had to make almost 20 trips just to dispose of the mess,” she said.

The complaint was brought to the attention of Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne and Subang MP R. Sivarasa,

Loh and Sivarasa’s aide Aloysius Francis Pinto visited the site last year and filed a report with the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and the Selangor state government.

Loh told StarMetro yesterday that they had checked through many channels and had pressed for a solution, but their efforts came to a dead end when they found out that the housing estate was developed by a subsidiary of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS).

“The state is in need of more PPR housing units for the people and the five blocks are as good as abandoned. This is a waste of ratepayers’ money and the people must be told what is happening,” Pinto said, when contacted.

“Termite infestation, foul smell, mosquitoes, all these are there but why isn’t any action taken?” he asked.

Today, six months after their site visit, they are still unable to get an answer from the authorities.

Meanwhile, a study conducted by the solid waste laboratory of Universiti Malaya confirmed the area’s surface soil contamination and residents are advised to refrain from agricultural activities.

The study revealed that the landfill closed in 2000 was formerly a mining area.

During its operational period, it received a total volume of 1.57 million cubic metres of solid waste.

The lack of a liner system caused the land to be contaminated by waste residue, leachate and landfill gases.

About half of the houses are unoccupied. A check with the current occupants, who are mostly tenants, revealed that they knew little about soil contamination, let alone the questionable stability of the buildings’ foundation.

A house owner, who had just bought the property, said he did not know about the area’s landfill problem but heard that he was not supposed to plant fruit trees there.

“I like this place. It is peaceful and strategically located,” he said.

It is apparent that cracks are appearing in many of the houses, while the grounds have shown some signs of cave-in.

The fact that a condominium is standing right next to these terrace houses is also worrying.

But developer Selaman Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Yaacob Jailani insisted that the company’s houses built near the PPR site had a strong foundation and there was no risk to the residents.

“It is safe to stay there because the houses are on piles, and had been further reinforced with suspended slabs. There is no reason for worry,” he said when contacted.

Yaacob said the landfill had been closed for quite some time and the company’s consultant engineers had confirmed that the area was fit for development, adding that the MBPJ had granted them approval.

He said the 120 terrace houses in the area and two blocks of low-cost five-storey apartments further away, had received the certificate of fitness for occupation three years ago.

Yaacob said he did not know what was wrong with the PPR flats because they were under another developer.

Efforts to contact the MBPJ on the matter were futile.

Pics and story courtesy of YIP YOKE TENG of StarMetro: January 16. 2009

NEXT

MAYBE…..after I do some homework…but it will come!

On an adjacent landfill next to these 5 blocks of PPR abandoned flats

will rise a 5 blocks 15 storey commercial complex. I pass this everyday.

The developer is now excavating the remains of the landfill and trucks after trucks line two exits.

TO FILL OR NOT TO FILL

2011-03-20T00:19:00.000-07:00

A reader, Reviewer of Sanitary Board, sent me this email in reply to comments made in Making Money, Not Sense posting of 4^th March.

Rather than putting it in the comment box, this comment deserves a posting in itself on this blog. The Reviewer’s comments are a commentary to issues raised by Annonymous and Shalom. Allow me to register my thanks to the Reviewer.

+++++

Dear Sampahman,

I can’t help interjecting into this dialogue as the issue concerns the well being and the rights of every Malaysian when it comes to their right having clean and healthy environment as well as prudent public spending from the tax payers money and assessment fees collected by the authorities to spend and serve the public. I am with one of the agency and have the privilege of following the progress of the development of the RDF plant since its construction days. I am writing in the capacity of RAKYAT who wouldn’t want to be hood wink with all kind of gimmicks in the hand and gloves operation any more. I too have the opportunity to visit the plant several times during the progress. And during the visits, sometimes with ministers, authorities and technical consultants from state and federal, the operators has expressed and shared their experience as well as their concerns/request to make and to ensure the operation and services works well.

The operator can only improve things within the boundary, however, beyond the boundary it is the responsibility of other authorities, but the external factors are critical to the effectiveness of their plant. Their plant are not meant to process and keep waste, rather process to reduce waste and minimize waste going to the landfill. Going a bit into history, I was made to understand in their presentation to Minister of KPKT, Minister of Environment, and Minister of EPU and the State Authority that the Semenyih landfill will be closed once the operation of the RDF plant is commissioned and the very landfill will be upgraded to a sanitary landfill and the inerts from the RDF will be send into the inert sanitary landfill.

However, in April 2006, due to the leachate issue leaking into the rivers in some landfills, the Cabinet instructed 16 landfills to be closed, including the Semenyih landfill which the state is not ready with an alternative site, since the understanding is that the RDF upon completion will reduce 20% of the volume of MSW going to the landflll and the landfill will be upgraded into sanitary. The State made a plea to the operator to accept the MSW in order to assist the State to reduce the volume from going to the landfill. The operator only completed 2 of the 4 lines and even the RDF power plant is not even constructed at the point in time. However, due to the critical situation at the time, I was told that the operator agreed with 2 conditions: (1) that a nearby landfill site could be used for post process (60%) and (2) the access road to be build by state government.

GUESS WHAT, EVEN AT THIS TIME OF WRITING , AND THE PLANT IS FULLY COMMISSIONED, THE STATE HAS YET TO DELIVER THE NEARBY LANDFILL SITE (DUE TO ECONOMIC REASONS AS STIPULATED IN THE AGREEMENTS) AND THIS EXPLAINS WHY THERE ARE AT TIMES WASTE PILED UP AT SITE. I WONDER HOW THE MINISTERS FELT IF THEY DO NOT HAVE TOILETS IN THEIR OWN HOME, WHILE DEPENDING ON NEIGHBOURS, AND WORST HAVING OTORITIES TO TELL WHEN AND WHERE TO SHIT?

REGRETFULLY, A 2 KILOMETER ACCESS ROAD TO THE PLANT FROM THE MAIN ROAD FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE ALAM FLORA LORRIES AND CONTRACTORS IS NOT IN SIGHT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE OPERATOR IN ORDER TO ASSISTS, SPENDS ALMOST RM500K TO DO A BQ FOR THE ROAD, BUT AFTER PROVIDING IT TO THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES, THE BQ IS STILL WITH ALICE IN THE WONDERLAND. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE INTERCHANGE TO BUKIT TAGA R LANDFILL COST AROUND RM38 MILLION. (LIKE THE MALAY PROVERB SAID, “ANTARA DUA DARJAT”

SORRY SELANGORIANS, I THINK WE ARE THE SECOND CLASS CITIZEN AS THE WILAYAH FOLKS ARE DUMPING 2100 TONS OF MSW A DAY IN OUR YARD, BUT THERE GOT ALL THE FACILITIES. LET’S SEE WHAT GREATER KL PLANS WILL PROVIDE US, SEE WHAT VALUE CHAIN THEY GAVE TO SELANGORIANS. I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE CASTE SYSTEM OF (PARIAH VS BRAHMIN) REMAINS IN INDIA ONLY.

FACTS DON’T LIE. A GOOD 5 YEARS HAS PASSED, WHAT HAPPEN TO THE AUTHORITIES, FEDERAL AND STATE FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS? SHOULD SOMEONE WAKE THEM UP? OR THE POLITICS OF SPY VS SPY CATCHING UP WITH THEM, SO MUCH SO THAT THE MAJLIS PERBANDARAN ARE CAUGHT IN THE WHIRLWIND AND THE OPERATOR ( WHO SPEND EVERY SINGLE CENT OF THEIR OWN FUND PLUS THE BANKS MONEY TO BUILD THE PLANT , WHO CARES, AND THE PUBLIC WHO IS SUPPOSE TO GET THE SERVICE, WHO CARES? AFTERALL, THE STATE PUBLIC LISTED COMPANY INCHARGE OF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT HAPPILLY ANNOUNCE TO THE WORLD THAT THEIR TURNOVER HAS INCREASED TO ALMOST RM100 MILLION. WHOSE MONEY? RAKYAT. FOR WHAT? TO BURY THE WASTE. BRAVO. RAKYAT DIDAHULUKAN, MALAYSIA BOLEH.

Now, I would like to attempt to address the comments made by the writer for the landfill. I have nothing against the landfill, BUT it must be the last resort (off course sanitary) and after the waste have gone through minimization and treatment and all the recycling extraction, not only the physical materials, but also the energy inherent in the waste ( which I understand that there is probably in excess of 80% in the volume). If we can reduce the waste to only 5% of the volume, the landfill operators should be happy as they could sign a contract to manage the landfill for the next 250 years, just like YTL did for their energy distribution contract in Australia. The public is so naïve, that’s why the long term contract is needed to ensure the facilities are run by professionals who knows the business well. Off course, assuming technology development hibernates. Like Mr. Friedman, the economist in US said, the model of public services now focus on PRIVATISING THE GAINS AND SOCIALIZE THE LOSS. Good recipe for DISASTER.

Back to the comment, my views in red:

“You mentioned the RDF is a more economic option as it's developed without CAPEX from the rakyat's money. This is a fallacy as any CAPEX is included in the life-cycle cost in determining the tipping fee. Who pays the tipping fee at the end of the day? The rakyat of course. “

I totally agree with you that the CAPEX is included in the life-cycle cost in determining the tipping fee (those who don’t do this should not be in the business). But I think what Shalom in his comment meant that the CAPEX for construction of the plant is paid via the operator’s own fund and loan from the bank. Unlike Bukit Tagar for example, the Federal Government pay for owners’s land ( I heard about RM200 million), than gave contract to build the cells ( I heard another RM200 million) and then build the interchange at Batang Berjutai another RM38 million. And for every ton of waste received in the cell, DBKL has to pay another RM49 per ton ( I stand to be corrected), that’s RM102,900 per day from a 2100 tons of DBKL’s waste. Please double check just in case my calculator is wrong. Now isn’t that rakyat’s fund as opposed to the plant.

In the RDF case, this is where the operator was too optimistic with their business model when they assumed a low tipping fee as they were confident the recycleables and renewable energy would sustain the project. It looked good on paper, but in reality the plan went awry due to the plant's shortcomings. As you said the RDF business model is sound, but,requires "support" from the power-that-be. "Support" from the power-that-be invariably means financial support that equals the rakyat's money.

Theres’s nothing wrong with the business model. ( as validated by professional consultants I was told ) However, the little I know about business model, if the numbers does not stack up as what predicted, than there would be a problem. And that’s what happens to the plant. Cost of post disposal was affected due to the none decision by the authorities till today (5 years has passed), and the proposed site given for disposal was 4 times more than what has been agreed, it will definitely affect whatever model any one could put. The support required by the operator is issues outside of the boundary as mentioned above, i.e. near landfill site and access road. Even if, they are any request , its only for fairness in comparing apple to apple.

The RDF (which is actually a technology from Bangalore, India, and not Malaysian) is not working well not because it's mismanaged as you mentioned, but simply because the plant is not sustainable. It's an open secret that a significant volume of untreated MSW from the plant is disposed to a nearby dumpsite, even from the early days due to the plant failing. It is also a fact that the Kajang Municipal Council is looking for alternative means to handle their MSW as the RDF is clearly not able to provide the solution.

Wrong again. Yes, the technology is from Bangalore, but it was only on lab scale. They bought the pattern, set up a pilot plant which cost millions with their own fund ( so many others are lucky enough to get time and time again grants and has yet to produce respectable results). And they work with local research house and universities to finally patent a process that can handle local waste and not Indian waste. So, if you are not aware, please be advised, ok. A technology is a technology. From what I understand, their technology is the process (the software) and the hardware is the machines that they want it to be locally manufactured as they believe in localizing the facilities construction using local expertise and knowhow for the construction.

This mean savings the outflow and at the same time increase the multiplier effect to the domestic economy and provide more jobs locally. Malaysian contractors are very well advance in civil works, so are the process plants in petrol chemical, gas processing plant, chemical plants, rubber productions, palm oil refineries, aviation, shipyards and the list goes on.

Hardware are not rocket science, but not having a proper managing of it, can be disastrous. Don’t have to look far :Sport centers, stadiums, court complexs, schools, low cost house, Istana Rakyat (oops.. Istana Negara) and lots more. Talk about those related to waste, brogan, how much compensation the rakyat has to pay, the 7 island incinerators that fail to operate till today, the 5 incinerators that has yet to perform, and one incinerator that produce I megawatt at USD25 million (USD TWENTY FIVE MILLION) and resolving 100 tons of waste (others cost USD 1 Million per megawatt, and other renewable cost about USD6 million, and this cost the public USD25 million. ( As rakyat, I think some people should call MACC to verify).

Now, latest we have some party with no proven track record awarded project so call to save the world and provide light to people. I am an ardent National Geographic watcher. They remind me of animals that went around peeing and marking their territories but with no apparent results. Just take a look at how our Ministry of housing has evolve. It take them 10 years to come up with a bright idea. Tell the government that we must have paradigm shift, integrate our approach to managing waste. But alas, in their RMK10 commitment, build this through landfill and that’s why we have 9 new landfill that cost the rakyat another RM290 million. We can go on and on but its no use.

So, if the federal or the state is really interested to see the difference, .I challenge them to address the issue above, i.e. by providing the access road and also provide the budget for upgrading the semenyih landfill. Don’t just play with sentiments of the rakyat.

I also heard that they got 7 awards, 2 locally, and 5 internationally. Now, I wonder if the guys in the International bodies has not done their homework. What kind of Kiasu people la…. But at least, the award is not related to bodies or agencies that requires “table donations” for dinner, otherwise the award will be revoked. That’s what happen to one of the proposed award to them from a “Big Event” with every VIP’s in town for the Laurrette. No pay, no award. Some recognition.

I really don't know where you come out with the idea that a sanitary landfill runs on RM100,000 OPEX a day. This is definitely wrong. Based on your assertion, and assuming the landfill handles 1,000 tons of MSW a day, the cost per ton on OPEX alone (without CAPEX) is RM100, and we are not even talking about the tipping fee, merely cost. I shudder to think the tipping fee with CAPEX and profit margin. Do you seriously think the government would approve any sanitary landfill project with that type of cost/tipping fee?

I believe what Shalom is trying to say that at 2100 tons per day and at RM49 per ton tipping fee, that works out to RM102 ,000 per day, not the cost. But the revenue. I think I can easily calculate the cost to operate, and minus it from the RM102,000 is the margin. And for that, some RE of about 2 MW can be achieve. Others I heard could harvest about 25 MW from the same volume. I wonder how much carbon emission that would be. I will get back to the operators and ask them for their operating results if it might be of interest.

If the MCA/BN lot wants contribution to their campaign funds as you put it, it can come from any source. Why point at sanitary landfill? Wasn't the RDF developed during the MCA/BN time in Selangor as well?

I am not a politician and will leave to the people concern to answer that. But what little I know is that the operator also went through a tremendous pressure with the change of government. The new government thinks that the operator belongs to Barisan team, while the State executives want to protect their rights in the waste management under the federalization pressure ( there’s a half billion ringgit a year at stake),thus elephant fight elephant, the mouse deer is squashed in between. Who is the mousedeer? RAKYAT……YES, RAKYAT my fellow landfill writer. And Our future -generation, OUR KIDS AND THEIR KIDS AND THEIR KIDS ………..

Reviewer of Sanitary Board

+++++
“It’s good to recycle to help the environment instead of throwing them into landfills. They will never go away there.”

Scott Berry.

I knew that the ordinary discards of residential life were hardly inert, that burying things under several feet of dirt didn’t bring their influence on the environment to a screeching halt. When organic matter decomposes, it creates methane and carbon dioxide, both greenhouse gases. As it filters up through layers of buried garbage, methane can pick up carcinogens like acetone, benzene and ethyl benzene, xylenes, trichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride. These compounds are borne on the breeze into nearby homes and offices.

-Elizabeth Royte, Garbage Land,

SMS FROM A CONCERNED READER

2011-03-18T00:09:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR BETTER VISUAL

DUMP, BABY, DUMP!

2011-03-15T22:29:00.000-07:00

With landfills across the nation bursting at the seams, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government is still bent on landfills and more landfills. HERE

“Virtually all landfills in Malaysia were established by designation instead of by design, except for the new sanitary landfills,” said Dr Abu Bakar, the former Director-General of the Department of Environment, where he had worked for about 20 years.

KUALA LUMPUR: Monday November 1, 2010

The long-standing landfill problem has affected almost everyone in the country.

Besides causing social and environmental problems, landfills are also economically detrimental.

Local councils are spending between 30% and 80% of their assessment collection for waste treatment. And, these councils do nothing more than make the garbage pile up into a seemingly endless problem.

The bad management of most landfills has resulted in several “time bombs”. One “exploded” in Sept-ember when leachate from a landfill in Semenyih contaminated Sungai Kembong and Sungai Beranang, the intake points of the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant.

The plant was forced to close down due to high levels of ammonia, causing a 14-hour water supply disruption, which resulted in about a million consumers in Petaling, Hulu Langat, Sepang, Kuala Langat and Putrajaya being affected by it.

Such problems, according to Association of Environmental Consultants and Contractors of Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Jaafar, were bound to happen.

“Virtually all landfills in Malaysia were established by designation instead of by design, except for the new sanitary landfills,” he said.

According to the Housing and Local Government Ministry, there are 176 operating landfill sites, another 114 end-of-life sites and only eight sanitary landfills in the country.

This means that only eight landfills were constructed according to specifications while the rest are polluting the environment and ruining public health in varying degrees.

And, then there are the illegal ones.

“When local authorities need to discard waste, they just find some place and dump everything there without any planning, engineering and even site selection to see if it is safe. When people start complaining about stench, pests and scavengers, they just bring lorries full of soil to cover them,” he said.

Dr Abu Bakar is the former director-general of the Department of Environment, where he had worked for about 20 years.

“I was kept busy by landfill fires that often broke out in the middle of the night. Some scavengers burned mattresses to retrieve metal parts, leading to landfills on fire,” he said.

Even the closure of landfills was done shoddily. “Often, closures did not meet standards and before you know it, low-cost flats and housing projects were built on these sites.”

“I would not be surprised if one day a house blows up all of a sudden as there is gas in these badly closed landfills.” he said.

Dr Abu Bakar said he was disappointed that the situation had not improved much after all these years. A waste management report submitted by Malaysia to the United Nations back in 1971 bore close resemblance to the current situation.

He said the Environmental Quality Act addressed mainly pollution caused by factories, while only the Local Government Act, and Street, Drainage and Building Act addressed wastes produced at home.

“Even so, the laws are ineffective and outdated,” he said.

Dr Abu Bakar proposed a comprehensive structure for the treatment of solid waste, covering three categories namely dry, perishable and toxic waste from home, and eventually be recycled or be used to regenerate energy.

“An effective structure for waste management requires the commitment of at least 11 ministries,” he said.

“If that can be in place, we won’t need landfills.”

+++++

Coming: No CF for apartments built over landfill.

CEBU CITY SAYS NO TO BERJAYA CORPORATION.

2011-03-10T04:43:00.000-08:00

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama (pic) has rejected, upon the recommendation of his consultant, a Malaysian company’s offer to operate a sanitary landfill in the city for being violative of the provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

Rama has also turned down Berjaya Corporation’s invitation for a site visit and inspection of their sanitary landfill facilities in Malaysia.

Berhad which constructed the Bukit Tagar Sanitary Landfill in Malaysia earlier proposed to operate a similar facility in Cebu City.

Rama’s decision to reject the proposal was based on the recommendation of City Hall consultant on environment Lawyer Janeses Ponce because it violates the requirements of the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

“The undersigned recommended to set aside or to reject the proposal based on the requirements of RA 9003 which discourages sanitary landfills regardless of the technology employed,” Ponce said.

City Councilor Nida Cabrera, who already went to Malaysia for the site visit last November, said that adopting the proposal of Berjaya Corp. to develop a new sanitary landfill will be cost-efficient for the city government compared to other projects that seek to address the garbage problem of the city.

Cabrera said she saw how well the technology was used in the establishment and management of the landfill.

She said it was designed to meet international standards and has a full protective liner to protect the ground from leachate, or liquids from the landfill.

As far as the track record of the company is concerned, Cabrera said Berjaya Corp. Berhad is credible, saying they have also established three sanitary landfills in China.

Last year, Berjaya Corp. representatives met with Rama and the city’s Solid Waste Management Board to express their interest to develop a P1.35 billion sanitary landfill in the city.

Under the proposal, Berjaya Corp. Berhad will shoulder the capital expenditure to develop the landfill which is estimated at US$30 million or about P1.35 billion.

The City Government, on the other hand, will have to provide the 20 hectares needed for the landfill, as well as the requirements for the project that include the environmental compliance certificate.

But Ponce said the city will be tied down and will be facing financial burden in the long run.

The city will also have the difficulty of locating a hydrogeologically isolated site suitable for the proposed sanitary landfill.

“A site visit or site inspection would not serve any purpose at all unless and until the legal, financial and environmental issues are resolved,” Ponce said. — (FREEMAN)

MAKING MONEY, NOT SENSE.

2011-03-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

This BLOG is devoted to create awareness on the state of waste management in Malaysia and what you and I can do about it. In my last two postings I made mention of the MASTER PLAN of Ministry of Housing and Local Government that will see the proliferation of landfills throughout the country. I also warned that it might be a possibility that a landfill may appear in our backyard. i also pointed out that whilst the developed countries are working towards ZERO LANDFILLS, we are encouraging more landfills. As such I made an appeal to our Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen to intervene. Perhaps they prefer to go at each other’s throats for their own protection rather than look into our interests. Again they conveniently forget that we elected them into office.

I often wonder what our politicians from both sides of the divide are up to. It is like Sarawak building dams upon damned dams and still there are no electricity power and piped water to the interiors. One disgusted “spiritual” buddy of mine volunteered this: The Bakum Dam is like a fully aroused penis with nowhere to unload its raging load!

Similarly, this seems to be the trend the Ministry is leading to: just dump! It is treatment of waste at its worst, with the focus of making money (aka cronies) not sense!

If nothing is done our country will be sinking under a tsunami of waste. With no effective government plan in sight (except to dump) it is left to you and me to act. As with so many other movements, lasting change often comes from the bottom up.

The goal of 'Zero Landfills' depends on ordinary people like you and me to lead by example and transition to a lifestyle that protects human health and the environment... a lifestyle that finally makes sense.

WILL YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND ADUNS BOTHER?

2011-02-24T06:42:00.000-08:00

According to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s (KPKT) Pelan Stratigic, ULU LANGAT, RAWANG and SABAK BERNAM in SELANGOR have been identified to host SANITARY LANDFILLS!

Ulu Langat will have the privilege to receive 5,030 TPD (tones per day) of Municipal Solid Waste per day. Donors will be from Sepang, Kajang, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, Klang and Putra Jaya. 160 hectares have been reserved for this Landfill.

Rawang’s Landfill will acquire 150 hectars and will accommodate 3,460 TPD of municipal solid waste from Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Selayang, Ampang Jaya and KL North.

What AMAZES me is that whilst the developed countries are making concerted efforts towards ZERO LANDFILLS, we are attempting to attain DEVELOPED status by 2020 by adding more landfills to our landscape. (Another post will address this later.) For now go to www.ktpt.gov.my/jpspn,click on Pelan Stratigic on the left and presto, you will see what Jabatan Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal Negara (JPSPN) has planned for your respective states. Enjoy yah? Like I said in my previous post, a landfill could appear in your backyard if you do not object, that is! If you are concerned, would you transfer your concerns to your Member of Parliament or Aduns!

ASIDE: Allow me to have this cheeky thought. This plot smacks of cronyism, monopoly and federalizing. Agenda 21, of which we are a signatory, insists that solid waste must be managed by the municipalities.

ROTTEN EGGS CANNOT BE HATCHED?

2011-02-22T07:28:00.000-08:00

We generate 24,000 tons of

Municipal Solid Waste a day.

We also contribute 15,000 tons

of sewage aka human waste a day.

That is 39,000 tons of “waste” daily!

If these were dumped around the Twin Towers, it will completely bury the TT and its complexes IN TWO DAYS!

But of course we will not allow this to happen.

The Ministry of Housing & Local Government has formed a new Department called Jabatan Pengurusan Sisa Pepajal Negara. They recruited some 2,000 employees and have come out with a Master Plan – create dump-sites around the country to contain our waste! That's it, just dump the waste into more landfills. Hurray! …and they took 6 years to hatch this bright idea!

So don’t be surprised if one of these landfills will be at your backyard if this Jabatan is not checked and monitored!

Stay around when we unveil that Master Plan.

HEALTH HAZARDS IN eWASTE

2011-02-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

Computers and other electronic equipment are manufactured from materials found naturally as well as man-made. While some naturally occurring substances, such as chromium, are harmless in nature, their use in the manufacture of electronic equipment often results in compounds which are hazardous.

These are highly toxic and especially harmful to human health and the environment if not disposed of carefully.

ARSENIC is a poisonous metallic element which is present in dust and soluble substances. Chronic exposure to arsenic can lead to various diseases of the skin and decrease nerve conduction velocity and can cause lung cancer.

BARIUM is a metallic element that is used in sparkplugs, fluorescent lamps and "getters" in vacuum tubes. Being highly unstable in the pure form, it forms poisonous oxides when in contact with air. Short-term exposure to barium could lead to brain swelling, muscle weakness, damage to the heart, liver and spleen.

BERYLLIUM has been classified as a human carcinogen since exposure to it can cause lung cancer. The primary health concern is inhalation of beryllium dust, fume or mist. Workers who are constantly exposed to beryllium, even in small amounts, and who become sensitised to it can develop Chronic Beryllium Disease (beryllicosis), a disease which primarily affects the lungs. Exposure to beryllium causes a form of skin disease that is characterised by poor wound healing and wart-like bumps. Studies have shown that people can still develop beryllium diseases many years after the last exposure.

BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS (BFR’s) The three main types of BFRS used in electronic and electrical appliances are Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) and Tetrabromobisphenol - A (TBBPA). BFRs have been found in indoor dust and air through migration and evaporation from plastics. Combustion of halogenated case material and printed wiring boards at lower temperatures releases toxic emissions including dioxins which can lead to severe hormonal disorders. Major electronic manufacturers have begun to phase out BFRs because of its toxicity.

CADMIUM components may have serious impacts on the kidneys. It is adsorbed through respiration and taken up with food. Due to the long half-life in the body, cadmium can easily be accumulated in amounts that cause symptoms of poisoning. Acute exposure to cadmium fumes causes flu-like symptoms of weakness, fever, headache, chills, sweating and muscular pain. The primary health risks of long term exposure are lung cancer and kidney damage.

CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) are compounds composed of carbon, fluorine, chlorine, and sometimes hydrogen. Used mainly in cooling units and insulation foam, it has been phased out because when released into the atmosphere, it accumulates in the stratosphere and have a deleterious effect on the ozone layer. This results in increased incidence of skin cancer in humans and in genetic damage in many organisms.

Fairgoers look at a pile of computer waste displayed by environmental pressure group Greenpeace at the CeBIT trade fair in Hanover on March 4, 2008. Greenpeace is calling on IT manufacturers to clean up their act and design products that are eco-friendly and recyclable. AFP PHOTO JOHN MACDOUGALL (Photo credit should read JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty Images)

CHROMIUM and its oxides are widely used because of their high conductivity and anti corrosive properties. While some forms of chromium are non toxic, Chromium (VI) is easily absorbed in the human body and can produce various toxic effects within cells. Most chromium (VI) compounds are irritating to eyes, skin and mucous membranes. Chronic exposure to chromium (VI) compounds can cause permanent eye injury, unless properly treated. Chromium VI may also cause DNA damage.

DIOXINS AND FURANS are a family of chemicals comprising 75 different types of dioxin compounds and 135 related compounds known as furans. “Dioxins” refer to the family of compounds comprising polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Although never intentionally manufactured, dioxins form as unwanted by-products in the manufacture of some pesticides as well as during combustion. It is known to be highly toxic to animals and humans because it bio-accumulates in the body and can lead to malformations of the foetus, decreased reproduction and growth rates and cause impairment of the immune system among other things.

LEAD is the fifth most widely used metal after iron, aluminium, copper and zinc. It is commonly used in the electrical and electronics industry in solder, lead-acid batteries, electronic components, cable sheathing, in the glass of CRTs etc. Short-term exposure to high levels of lead can cause vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma or even death. Other symptoms are appetite loss, abdominal pain, constipation, fatigue, sleeplessness, irritability and headache. Continued excessive exposure, as in an industrial setting, can affect the kidneys. It is particularly dangerous for young children because it can damage nervous connections and cause blood and brain disorders.

MERCURY is one of the most toxic yet widely used metals in the production of electrical and electronic applications. It is a toxic heavy metal that bioaccumulates causing brain and liver damage if ingested or inhaled. In electronics and electrical appliances, mercury is highly concentrated in batteries, some switches and thermostats, and fluorescent lamps.

POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYIS(PCBs) are a class of organic compounds used in a variety of applications, including dielectric fluids for capacitors and transformers, heat transfer fluids and as additives in adhesives and plastics. PCBs have been shown to cause cancer in animals and to cause a number of serious non-cancer health effects in animals, including effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, endocrine system and other health effects. PCBs are persistent contaminants in the environment. Due to the high lipid solubility and slow metabolism rate of these chemicals, PCBs accumulate in the fat-rich tissues of almost all organisms (bioaccumulation). The use of PCBs is prohibited in OECD countries, however, due to its wide use in the past, it still can be found in e-waste and in some other wastes.

POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) is the most widely-used plastic, used in everyday electronics and appliances, household items, pipes, upholstery etc. PVC is hazardous because contains up to 56% chlorine which when burned produces large quantities of hydrogen chloride gas, which combines with water to form hydrochloric acid and is dangerous because when inhaled, leads to respiratory problems.

SELENIUM. Exposure to high concentrations of selenium compounds cause selenosis. The major signs of selenosis are hair loss, nail brittleness, and neurological abnormalities (such as numbness and other odd sensations in the extremities).

Personal Computers (PCs)

Televisions and Computer Monitors (other than flat screens) produce images using a cathode ray tube (CRT), a heavy funnel-shaped glass tube with a Fat screen at the front and an electron emitter at the back. The CRT creates images when electrons hit the back of the phosphor-coated screen, lighting it up and allowing us to watch cartoons or browse the web. In order to protect humans and animals from radiation produced inside the cathode ray tubes, 3-8 pounds of lead are encapsulated in the glass within each monitor or television. While lead has long been known to be a human toxin capable of causing cancer, there are many other materials in electronic waste with toxic effects.

CRT'S are not the only hazardous components in e-waste. Circuit boards readily qualify as hazardous waste due to the presence of lead and copper. This means that everything from cell phones to electronic toys and microwave ovens have hazardous components in them and must be handled properly at end of life. Mercury is present in Åat screens, scanners, and switches. Beryllium, cadmium, and arsenic also present in electronic waste mean it must be handled properly at the time of disposal.

Many discarded computers still work, but they are "thrown away" or stored in garages to make room for upgrades. Tons of computers that are supposedly "recycled" end up being exported to developing countries.

EXPORTING DISEASE AND DEATH.

2011-02-10T02:16:00.000-08:00

Where does e-waste end up?

Many old electronic goods gather dust in storage waiting to be reused, recycled or thrown away. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that as much as three quarters of the computers sold in the US are stockpiled in garages and closets. When thrown away, they end up in landfills or incinerators or, more recently, are exported to Asia.

Landfill

According to the US EPA, more than 4.6 million tonnes of e-waste ended up in US landfills in 2000. Toxic chemicals in electronics products can leach into the land over time or are released into the atmosphere, impacting nearby communities and the environment. In many European countries, regulations have been introduced to prevent electronic waste being dumped in landfills due to its hazardous content. However, the practice still continues in many countries. In Hong Kong for example, it is estimated that 10-20 percent of discarded computers go to landfill.

Incineration

This releases heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury into the air and ashes. Mercury released into the atmosphere can bio accumulate in the foodchain, particularly in fish - the major route of exposure for the general public. If the products contain PVC plastic, highly toxic dioxins and furans are also released. Brominated flame retardants generate brominated dioxins and furans when e-waste is burned.

Reuse

A good way to increase a product's lifespan. Many old products are exported to developing countries. Although the benefits of reusing electronics in this way are clear, the practice is causing serious problems because the old products are dumped after a short period of use in areas that are unlikely to have hazardous waste facilities.

Recycle

Although recycling can be a good way to reuse the raw materials in a product, the hazardous chemicals in e-waste mean that electronics can harm workers in the recycling yards, as well as their neighbouring communities and environment.

In developed countries, electronics recycling takes place in purpose-built recycling plants under controlled conditions. In many EU states for example, plastics from e-waste are not recycled to avoid brominated furans and dioxins being released into the atmosphere. In developing countries however, there are no such controls. Recycling is done by hand in scrap yards, often by children.

Export

E-waste is routinely exported by developed countries to developing ones, often in violation of the international law. Inspections of 18 European seaports in 2005 found as much as 47 percent of waste destined for export, including e-waste, was illegal. In the UK alone, at least 23,000 metric tonnes of undeclared or 'grey' market electronic waste was illegally shipped in 2003 to the Far East, India, Africa and China. In the US, it is estimated that 50-80 percent of the waste collected for recycling is being exported in this way. This practice is legal because the US has not ratified the Basel Convention.

Mainland China tried to prevent this trade by banning the import of e-waste in 2000. However, we have discovered that the laws are not working; e-waste is still arriving in Guiya of Guangdong Province, the main centre of e-waste scrapping in China.

We have also found a growing e-waste trade problem in India. 25,000 workers are employed at scrap yards in Delhi alone, where 10-20000 tonnes of e-waste is handled each year, 25 percent of this being computers. Other e-waste scrap yards have been found in Meerut, Ferozabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai.

How did the trade evolve?

In the 1990s, governments in the EU, Japan and some US states set up e-waste 'recycling' systems. But many countries did not have the capacity to deal with the sheer quantity of e-waste they generated or with its hazardous nature.

Therefore, they began exporting the problem to developing countries where laws to protect workers and the environment are inadequate or not enforced. It is also cheaper to 'recycle' waste in developing countries; the cost of glass-to-glass recycling of computer monitors in the US is ten times more than in China.

Demand in Asia for electronic waste began to grow when scrap yards found they could extract valuable substances such as copper, iron, silicon, nickel and gold, during the recycling process. A mobile phone, for example, is 19 percent copper and eight percent iron.

HEALTH HAZARDS IN eWASTE

AND MALAYSIA IS ONE OF MAIN PORTS THAT RECEIVE AND EXPORT EWASTE TO......

2011-02-06T19:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, we are one of the main ports that receive and then dispatch ewaste to DEVELOPING countries! Scroll DOWN to MAP on previous posting.

Here is a report from NPR:

Many people will receive a new computer or cell phone this holiday season — and throw out their old equipment. And when old TVs and computers end up in landfills, the toxic metals and flame retardants they contain can cause environmental problems.

Yet even recycling your e-waste, as it's called, does not always mean you're doing the right thing.

The dirty little secret is that when you take [your electronic waste] to a recycler, instead of throwing it in a trashcan, about 80 percent of that material, very quickly, finds itself on a container ship going to a country like China, Nigeria, India, Vietnam, Pakistan — where very dirty things happen to it," says Jim Puckett, the executive director of the Basel Action Network, which works to keep toxic waste out of the environment.

+++++

SPEND TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS

YOUR FAMILY COULD LISTEN TOO.

++++

read on:

After dumping, what happens to ewaste?

HERE

WHAT IS E-WASTE?

2011-02-06T04:52:00.000-08:00

E-waste (electronic waste) includes computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones and other items that have been discarded by their original users. While there is no generally accepted definition of e-waste, in most cases e-waste consists of expensive and more or less durable products used for data processing, telecommunications or entertainment in private households and businesses.

Why is e-waste a problem?

E-waste is both valuable as source for secondary raw material, and toxic if treated and discarded improperly. Rapid technology change, low initial cost and even planned obsolescence have resulted in a fast growing problem around the globe. Technical solutions are available but in most cases a legal framework, a collection system, logistics and other services need to be implemented before a technical solution can be applied.

Due to lower environmental standards and working conditions in China and India, e-waste is being sent to these countries for processing – in most cases illegally. Bangalore in India and the Guiyu area in the Chaozhou region of China have e-waste processing areas. Uncontrolled burning and disposal are causing environmental problems due to the methods of processing the waste. Trade in e-waste is controlled by the Basel Convention.

E-waste is of concern largely due to the toxicity of some of the substances if processed improperly. The toxicity is due in part to lead, mercury, cadmium and a number of other substances. A typical computer monitor may contain more than 6% lead by weight. Up to thirty-six separate chemical elements are incorporated into e-waste items. The unsustainability of discarded electronics and computer technology is another reason for the need to recycle – or even better, re-use – e-waste.

E-waste presents difficulties for recycling due to the complexity of each item and lack of viable recycling systems. Many of the plastics used in electronic equipment contain flame retardants. These are generally halogens added to the plastic resin, making the plastics difficult to recycle.

Personal Computers (PCs)

NEXT

What happens to exported E-waste

DON'T WE KNOW NOTHING ELSE BUT DUMPING?

2011-01-27T06:05:00.001-08:00

Will there come a time when the generation of domestic waste will exceeded the capacity of our municipalities to recycle them. In addition, with limited land the solution of landfills will also be completely exhausted the way we are dumping into our landfills. Can anything be done?

Let’s look west for the answer….an answer born out of necessity.

Europe is a big importer of energy resources which has been proved to be a major strategic thorn in the recent past. Russia consistently flexed its muscles by refusing to supply gas to Europe. This pushed the EU to prepare plans for an unprecedented project in the African Sahara.

The European Union, in collaboration with some north African countries would set up huge solar thermal and PV power plants in the Sahara deserts. These plants would supply power to Europe and the African countries. The plan is to be extended to the Arab countries in the future. But this project seems technologically and economically unachievable. Therefore, a more realistic and reliable source of energy is required.

It is clear that the waste production would increase tremendously as the population increases and recycling and using landfills for its disposal cannot provide a complete solution. Thus if we could develop better ways of making use of waste as energy source in an environment-friendly process, a whole new dimension could be added to the concept of energy independence. Enter, domestic waste.

Domestic waste as an energy resource has not received the importance it deserves. In developing countries these energy conversion processes have been in use for quite some time, owing to their economic benefits. However, in EU, which possibly has the strictest environmental laws, use of domestic waste as fuel is not a major trend. Actually it is illegal to export waste to other countries.

Britain is struggling to recycle or landfill its domestic waste which has made the household waste, consisting of mainly recyclable organic matter, a potential energy resource. Municipalities have converted this household waste into dense fuel pellets through a series of conversion processes like densification, removal of water and pressing. The resulting pellets can be directly used to generate heat which can then be used directly for heating purposes or convert water into steam to run a steam turbine for power generation.

But through this project the energy value of the resource would be upgraded to a level from which significant benefits can be exploited. In absence of recycling or land filling this seems to be the only viable solution. Although it is one of the simplest and modest processes, it does convert waste into a higher quality product in terms of energy utilization.

Many environmentalists, however, see it as another source of carbon emissions being released into the atmosphere. The question is then what do we do about this unused waste which actually has significant energy content. The solution could lie in the refinement of the conversion processes of this waste into fuel pellets.

Domestic waste can become a major source of energy if the conversion processes are made more ‘environmental-friendly’, that is, engineered and modified in such a way that the net energy content is increased while the potential of carbon emissions decreases. Modifications may include further treatment of waste before being turned into fuel pellets or using microbial action to modify the waste’s properties to reduce its final carbon footprint.

Shouldn’t we in Malaysia be thinking ahead if we aim to move into developed status. In fact those states in Peninsula who have arbitrarily declared develop status should be faulted. How they manage their waste should be one of the prerequisites required to attain developed statehood.

PENANG SAYS AND DOES IT.

2011-01-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

GEORGE TOWN: Come Jan 1, plastic bags will be practically banned state-wide.

The move – an extension of the current “No Plastic Bag Day” in shopping centres and hypermarkets on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays – means that no plastic bags can be used every day by almost all business sectors.

The ruling will cover all hypermarkets, supermarkets, departmental stores, pharmacies, fast food restaurants, nasi kandar outlets, convenience stores including petrol kiosks and chain stores.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the move would reduce the state’s carbon footprint.

“Mini markets and sole proprietorship businesses will have to adhere to the ruling on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in order to ensure the renewal of their licences.

“Previously, they only had to adhere to the ruling on Mondays,” he said when tabling the 2011 Budget at the state legislative assembly yesterday.

Lim’s two paragraph announcement on the wide-ranging plastic ban was buried inside his 27-page budget speech, apparently catching many by surprise.

To promote the “No Plastic Bag Day” ruling, the state will distribute 500,000 brochures to create public awareness besides erecting educational billboards.

On July 1, last year, Penang became the first state to implement a “No Plastic Bag Day” ruling in shopping complexes and hypermarkets every Monday, before it was extended to Tuesdays and Wednesdays as well from Jan 2.

From July 1, 2009 to Oct 28, a total of 32.5 million plastic bags were saved under this campaign.

Shoppers who did not bring their own reusable bags were charged 20 sen for each plastic bag when making purchases.

The money collected from the sale of plastic bags went to the “Partners Against Poverty” Special Fund to help the state’s hardcore poor.

Reactions…….

No plastic bag move necessary to cut usage

I READ with dismay “Plastic bag makers unhappy over ban implementation” (Sunday Star, Jan 2). While many parties are lauding the move first initiated by the Penang government, it has led to unhappiness among plastic bag manufacturers, who stand to lose the most as a result of the ban.

Data released by the US Environmental Protection Agency show that between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year (National Geographic News; Sept 2, 2003).

While many argue that the plastic bags in use today are recyclable, consider this fact: worldwide, less than 1% of bags are recycled. Also, a study way back in 1975 revealed that ocean-going vessels dumped almost 3.6 million kilograms of plastic annually. Worse still, the British Antarctic survey had found plastic bags floating in the sea north of the Arctic circle and as far away as the Falkland Islands. Bangladesh, China, Singapore, Rwanda and the European Union have taken initiatives to ban free plastic bags, and it is about time we do it as well. I hope state governments will hold steadfast to the ban despite pressure from various quarters. Think about the future generation.

DRD,
George Town.

Tuesday January 4, 2011

Time to get serious with protecting environment

HAVING holidayed over many years in Penang, I read with interest “Pay for bags on Saturdays” (Sunday Star, Jan 2).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the ban on free plastic bags would take effect from Saturday. The state government was “willing to lose its popularity to protect the environment for our future generations”, he said. The Chief Minister’s supposed “green” credentials seem somewhat contradictory when coming from someone who is currently presiding over a Penang landscape that is being altered at a pace never seen before in the island’s history.

This is especially so when construction is at the expense of this so-called “protected” environment.

Nobody can argue with the fact that the elimination of plastic bags will be a good thing in the longer term but I am reminded in this case of a quote: An ounce of hypocrisy is worth a pound of (political?) ambition. I hope this point will be viewed as an opportunity to get serious on all fronts and levels.

SEAN RYLAND,
Sydney, Australia.

HAVE YOU HEARD THE BUZZ?

2011-01-06T18:40:00.001-08:00

Dear friends,

Bees are dying off worldwide and our entire food chain is in peril. Scientists blame toxic pesticides and four European governments have already banned them. If we get the US and the EU to join the ban, other governments across the world could follow, and save bees from extinction. Sign the petition and forward this urgent appeal:

Silently, billions of bees are dying off and our entire food chain is in danger. Bees don't just make honey, they are a giant, humble workforce, pollinating 90% of the plants we grow.

Multiple scientific studies blame one group of toxic pesticides for their rapid demise, and bee populations have soared in four European countries that have banned these chemicals. But powerful chemical companies are lobbying hard to keep selling this poison. Our best chance to save bees now is to push the US and EU to join the ban -- their action is critical and will have a ripple effect on the rest of the world.

We have no time to lose -- the debate is raging about what to do. This is not just about saving bumble bees, this is about survival. Let’s build a giant global buzz calling for the EU and US to outlaw these killer chemicals and save our bees and our food. Sign the emergency petition now, and send it on to everyone and we’ll deliver it to key decision makers:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees/?vl

Bees are vital to life on earth -- every year pollinating plants and crops with an estimated $40bn value, over one third of the food supply in many countries. Without immediate action to save bees we could end up with no fruit, no vegetables, no nuts, no oils and no cotton.

Recent years have seen a steep and disturbing global decline in bee populations -- some bee species are now extinct and others are at just 4% of their previous numbers. Scientists have been scrambling for answers. Some studies claim the decline may be due to a combination of factors including disease, habitat loss and toxic chemicals. But new leading independent research has produced strong evidence blaming neonicotinoid pesticides. France, Italy, Slovenia and even Germany, where the main manufacturer Bayer is based, have banned one of these bee killers. But, Bayer continues to export its poison across the world

This issue is now coming to the boil as major new studies have confirmed the scale of this problem. If we can get European and US decision-makers to take action, others will follow. It won’t be easy. A leaked document shows that the US Environmental Protection Agency knew about the pesticide’s dangers, but ignored them. The document says Bayer’s "highly toxic" product is a "major risk concern to non target insects [honey bees]".

We need to make our voices heard to counter Bayer’s very strong influence on policy makers and scientists in both the US and the EU where they fund the studies and sit on policy bodies. The real experts -- the beekeepers and farmers -- want these deadly pesticides prohibited until and unless we have solid, independent studies that show they are safe. Let's support them now. Sign the petition below, then forward this email:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees/?vl

We can no longer leave our delicate food chain in the hands of research run by the chemical companies and the regulators that are in their pockets. Banning this pesticide will move us closer to a world safe for ourselves and the other species we care about and depend on.

With hope,

Alex, Alice, Iain, David and all at Avaaz

+++++

PEOPLE, WE HAVE A PART TO PLAY HERE.

SIGN THE PETITION IMMEDIATELY, PLEASE.

WE HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE TOO.

+++++

MORE INFORMATION

Bee decline could be down to chemical cocktail interfering with brains
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/22/chemicals-bees-decline-major-study?INTCMP=SRCH

Bee briefing
http://www.soilassociation.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=RXLEm9WXrHk%3D&tabid=439

$15 Billion Bee Murder Mystery Deepens
http://www.businessinsider.com/colony-collapse-disorder-still-unsolved-lead-researcher-had-connections-to-bayer-2010-10

“Nicotine Bees" Population Restored With Neonicotinoids Ban
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/nicotine-bees-population-restored-with-neonicotinoids-ban.php

EPA memo reveals concern that pesticide causes bee deaths
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/green/detail?entry_id=79910

Beekeepers want government to pull pesticide
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/beekeepers-want-government-to-pull-pesticide-1107701.html

British Beekeepers' Association to stop endorsing bee-killing pesticides http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/16/beekeepers-end-pesticide-endorsement?INTCMP=SRCH

Pesticide industry involvement in EU risk assessment puts survival of bees at stake
http://www.corporateeurope.org/agribusiness/news/2010/11/16/pesticide-industry-future-bees

We ARE Getting THERE, People.

2011-01-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Jusco supermarket has been able to reduce 10 million pieces in usage of plastic bags by its customers since the launch of its 'No Plastic Bag' campaign in January 2008.

Aeon Co (M) Bhd, which runs the supermarket chain, said the reduction in plastic bag usage also helped to save energy of 14,640 litres of petroleum which would be required to produce the plastic bags.

HOW THIS CAME ABOUT

From today, shoppers will have to bring their own tote bags as the Penang government's 'No Free Plastic Bags Every Day of the Week' campaign comes into force in the state.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the no free plastic bags ruling applied to all hypermarkets, supermarkets, pharmacies, fast food outlets, nasi kandar restaurants and convenience stores (including at petrol stations).

"Mini-markets and sole proprietorships will also be asked to do the same on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays when they renew their yearly licences," he told reporters after launching the campaign in Butterworth today.

continue reading HERE

YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.

2011-01-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

If you have not made any New Year Resolutions yet, how about these?

The environment has steadily moved its way up everyone’s agenda as we are more conscious about recycling and the amount of energy and water we waste.

With so much information bombarding our senses on environmental issues, there’s no doubt about it, understanding how best to ‘green up’ our lifestyle can be difficult and confusing.

We can all learn a lesson from big business, which has realised that by applying some commonsense to how they operate, they can improve their image, satisfy the demands of increasingly ‘eco-aware’ shareholders, and meet the increasing ‘green’ demands of customers by making changes to many of the products we buy from them. However, the key factor with business is improving their ‘bottom-line’. If being greener cost them more, they would be highly unlikely to make changes.

For those of us that care about trying to ‘do our bit’ for the environment, but not necessarily classifying ourselves as ‘rainbow warriors’ or ‘tree huggers’, we face a dilemma. What can we do to make a difference, without going so far as building a composting toilet in our gardens?

There is nothing wrong about modeling our approach to being greener on how the big corporations are approaching the matter. Essentially the key way they are doing this is by cutting out waste to become more efficient.

Here are three top tips on how to green up your lifestyle and save money.

1: Reduce the Amount of Food You Throw-away

In the UK, 30% of all the food we buy is thrown away. The food waste will generally end up in landfill, where as it degrades turns into a greenhouse gas about 19 times more potent than the carbon dioxide everyone associates with global warming.

There are a number of reasons why we throw away so much of the food we buy. When food reaches ‘best before’ date, there is no need to consign it to the rubbish bin. Best before is a ‘quality’ cut off point set by the manufacturers. If the food has been stored properly it will still be edible some time after that date.

We often buy too much food at the supermarket, possibly due to those irresistible BOGOF offers (buy one get one free). Write a list and try sticking to it.

Most of us have our fridges set at the wrong temperature. For optimum performance they should be set between 3-5 degrees Celsius.

If you apply the ‘bottom-line’ rule, it is clear that if you throw-away 30% of the food you buy, you are wasting 30% of your money.

Do a quick calculation to see how much you are throwing away each year. If you spend £80 per week on food for you and your family then you’re wasting £1,248 per year of your hard-earned cash.

2: Improve the Energy Efficiency of Your Home

Energy efficiency in the home is all about reducing waste.

Fit low energy lighting where possible. The quality, look and performance of low energy lighting is improving all the time. Fit low energy lighting to as many lighting points as possible, e.g. in the hall, bedrooms, bathrooms, landing.

You will be surprised how much money you can save by investing in making improvements to the energy efficiency of your home.

3: Replace Your Gas Guzzler

With price of a barrel of oil spiraling upwards, there has never been a more important time for us to look at the fuel efficiency of the car we drive.

With petrol at over £6 per gallon you do not need to be Albert Einstein to work out that by looking to improve the fuel efficiency of the car we drive can save us some serious money.

If you drive a car that manages 35 miles to the gallon and you drive 10,000 miles per annum, then your fuel costs will be about £1,715 per year at current petrol prices.

When you replace your car and buy a model that achieves 45 miles to the gallon then you will save about £400 in a year.

There are lots more green measures you can take, each requiring a small change in your lifestyle and personal habits. How far you go is upto you, but by addressing these three issues first, you will make a difference to the environment and save money at the same time.

Bill Bailey is freelance writer on finance, cars, travel, computers and shopping. More of Bill’s articles offering red hot tips and advice can be found at [http://www.schnafflehound.com]

BOTTLED WATER VERSUS TAP WATER

2010-12-29T03:23:00.000-08:00

DRINKING WATER.

2010-12-25T23:30:00.000-08:00

Last month I did a series on Plastic Bag versus Paper Bags. I would like to now do a series on Water. It will eventually take you through another debate, like Tap Water versus Bottled Water etc. Stay around and be ready for some surprises….that is a promise.

We will start today with two youTube videos. It would be great if you could gather your kids around to watch these two presentations. I suggest you click to wide screen when you are showing it to the kids. Let me know their reactions, can?

GOING GREEN THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.

2010-12-25T00:58:00.000-08:00

(This article was sent to me by a reader of SAMPAH. Thanks Joan)

Going green is much easier than most people think plus is has enormous benefits for us personally as well as environmentally. Each one of us can make a difference this Christmas festive season if you commit to not contributing to un-earth-friendly acts such as excessive energy consumption and waste generation. According to the eco friendly experts Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson, co-authors of ‘Celebrate Green’, we all have a responsibility to go green which includes at holiday celebrations. You can even save time and money while contributing to saving mother earth.

The December holiday period sees a landfill increase of 25% more litter which furthers global warming through off-gassing. You can enjoy Christmas and holiday celebrations while being good to the planet with just a few changes. With the tips below you can start an earth-friendly Christmas that will reduce your carbon foot print, create minimum impact on the earth and the good news is that it is easy, affordable, fun and rewarding.

1. Buy local and buy fresh – you will contribute to reducing long transportation use of resources. Also jet-setting food and other goods create tons of carbon dioxide emissions that could be avoided by buying locally produced items.

2. Trim your food shopping. The amount of food waste at Christmas is excessive. Start by trimming 20% off your list. Your guests won’t notice 20% and you’ll be contributing to less wastage. Use a shopping list and do not impulse buy and commit that you will not purchase anything outside your list no matter how enticing it looks.

3. Say no to wrapping paper. Try wrapping gifts in other gifts or hiding gifts in a sock, a bag or pot for extra fun. Engage your creativity. Make a Santa bag for each child that is re-used each year. Cut up old clothes and use the material to wrap your gifts.

4. Go for quality not quantity. Purchase long lasting gifts rather than breakables and consider making your own gifts. You can save money, gifts will have more meaning and are more likely to be cherished. If you have to buy gifts buy those made locally and choose ones that will last like wooden gifts rather than the latest gadgets that will be obsolete tomorrow and end up in land fill.

5. Re-use the same Christmas decorations, tableware and games/activities each year. Children love predictability and you create traditions with greater meaning when using the same soon to be treasured items each year. Remember if you need to purchase new items ensure they are a good quality that can be re-used year after year.

6. Recycle – this helps divert unnecessary waste from landfill. Ensure you separate your rubbish for recycling. Don’t fall in to the ‘lazy’ or ‘I’m too busy’ trap at Christmas. Remember your choices make a difference.

7. Time your lighting. Get yourself a timer and set it to turn your Christmas lights off after a maximum of 5 hours each night. Leaving them on for hours on end is excessive and unnecessary. The best option for outdoors is to get solar powered Christmas lights which are now available in all sorts of shapes and colors.

Making your own gifts, buying locally, buying less, re-using what you already have are all great ways you can start contributing to a eco friendly Christmas that will help preserve resources and reduce waste. Plus adults will become good role models for the benefits of getting back to basics with moderation and thinking of and contributing to the greater good! Merry Christmas!

(Last night after our family dinner, Kevin surprised us all with his gift paper. It was ordinary newsprint paper with personalised sketchings of the receiver. Mine of course had a mask and moustache, drawn by my daughter-in-law MaryAnne.)

BE REAL LAH JIBBY!

2010-12-22T00:40:00.001-08:00

We still litter unashamedly. Our cities are dumps. Our toilets are stinkers. Our rivers are dumpsites.

We have the highest accident rate according to Hawkeye’s recent posting. Malaysia has the highest rate of road traffic fatalities in Southeast Asia, with 23.6 deaths per 100 thousand people. Just 27 yesterday!We registered higher traffic accident deaths than Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Phillipines.

What does all this point to? INDISCIPLINE!

And the PM announced grand plans of building nuclear plants.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng declared on Monday that he would not allow a nuclear plant to be built in the state.

Today, Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong has slammed Prime Minister Najib abdul Razak for his “obsession” with building two controversial nuclear power plants in Malaysia.

“This will be an economic and environmental disaster. Najib wants to squander RM21.3 billion on a Cold War-era dream when we should be embracing the 'solar century',” said Wong, who is the state cabinet member in charge of environment.

“We should build upon our strengths in clean energy rather than get trapped in a toxic dead end.”

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng declared on Monday that he would not allow a nuclear plant to be built in the state.

Wong ticked Najib off for his “confused priorities” and for being too slow to act on reducing Malaysia's greenhouse gas emissions.

GUAN ENG SAYS "NYET!"

2010-12-20T01:59:00.000-08:00

In responding to announcements by Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin that two nuclear plants will be ready by 2021 and 2022 respectively, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng vehemently stated: “ The Penang government will not allow the federal government to build nuclear plants in the state!. I wish to reiterate that as long as Pakatan Rakyat rules Penang, the state government will not support or allow any nuclear plants to be built in Penang to keep Penangites safe from nuclear contamination!”

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that Malaysia's track record of maintaining infrastructure was also questionable thereby increasing the risk of a nuclear disaster.

“With our poor maintenance mentality, even a stadium or a classroom can collapse; what assurances then can be given in relation to safety and the environment following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant accident in Ukraine, that claimed 56 lives and resulted in 4,000 cancer deaths?” asked Lim.

In a recent conference, a participant put this question to Ministry officials: How can you control nuclear waste when we can’t even MANAGE MUNICIPAL WASTE well? No answers were forthcoming from any of the officials. Period.

In another development, Klang MP Charles Santiago said that Chin's announcement yesterday showed that the federal government had backtracked on its promise to consult the public and conduct a “comprehensive study” on the matter.

“The minister promised the public and Parliament that there will be adequate and meaningful consultations with all stakeholders before a decision is made on going nuclear.

“The prime minister in his 1Malaysia blog promised a 'comprehensive study' before going ahead on building nuclear power plants.

“In fact, the premier said that 'all options for electricity generation, from biomass to wind, will be explored' before making a decision on building nuclear power plant in the country,” said Santiago in a statement today.

He laments that the “comprehensive study”, if any, has not been made public.

CHECK OUT THE FULL REPORT HERE

HE ALWAYS DROPS BOMBS, THIS BOOM.

2010-12-17T02:40:00.000-08:00

Three of us were savoring Suntory Hibiki 17. The Japanese are slowly but surely teaching the Scots a thing or two about scotch. The nose is quite full. There are notes of honey and wax, resin and oak. There are notes of gentle smoke and cacao, hints of cooked fruit and a nutty note. The palate is sweet and rich. There are crisp notes of mixed peels, raisin and custard with a little zest and plenty of oak. The finish is long with notes of oak and cocoa and sherried peels. All these after three discerning sips. It was then that Boom dropped this bomb!

He declared that air pollution causes 24,000 premature deaths every year and that the British Government will be facing legal action. We allowed him to carry on because Mary our ecowarrior was vacationing in London and thus unable to defuse this bomb. Mary, do give us the dope on this if you happen to visit Sampah.

Boom continued that the UK government is failing to tackle air pollution despite the UK being one of the worst polluters in Europe. Confronted, he said his source was a published report by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King’s College, London. Aware of our sneering cynicism He pulled out this report from that nondescript “green” bag of his. I produce the brief revelation verbatim:

This report is part of the ‘What is crime?’ project, funded by the Wates Foundation, which highlights hidden harms and challenges popular ideas about what crime is.

Crime is in the air highlights the following:

· It is estimated that 24,000 British residents die prematurely every year and thousands more are hospitalized, because of air pollution.

· Levels of air pollution across London require urgent attention as the 2012 games approaches.

· The EU is currently preparing a legal case against the British Government for repeatedly breaching pollution levels. More than 20 towns and cities have been found to be emitting pollution at twice the level specified in WHO standards.

Author of the report Professor Reece Walters said: Existing government regulations to tackle air pollution are based on a biased and erroneous partnership model that takes a soft approach with commercial polluters. The annual prosecutions for offences are appallingly disproportionate to the harm caused by air pollution. The existing regulatory system prioritises trade and economic prosperity over public safety, and this is totally unacceptable.

Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies said:

The serious consequences of air pollution are frequently neglected. Crime is in the air indicates that current approaches to regulation and pollution control are biased in favor of economic imperative and are failing to tackle the health problems caused by air pollution. Probably this is because the majority of people affected live in low income areas.

All three of us agreed that we cap the Hibiki 17 until this sad revelation takes a turn for the better.

SENTRY BOAT SAYS:

2010-12-13T17:12:00.001-08:00

SENTRY BOAT, a commentator replies to “ADOI, CHE DET TALKING SAMPAH TOO”.

Che Det,

We are the beneficiary of the economic growth, thank you Tun for that, but PLEASE, when we talk about Waste Management, we flunk tremendously. Let's go down memory lane, - Pekan Anak Bukit (close to home) used to have a Pasar or Pekan NAD, locally known, open for business every Sunday Morning. When I was a kid, the rubbish, after the pasar nad was over in the afternoon, was collected by “sentry boat” then the Sanitary Board near the current railway track and either burnt or sent to dumpsite in Jabi. But now, 45 years have passed, the Pekan Nad moves behind the old dilippidated Majlis Bandaran Anak Bukit building, and guess what, the rubbish are still collected and sent to the dumpsite.

45 YEARS HAVE PASSED.

And now, Alor Star becomes Bandaraya and Anak Bukit is the Bandar diRaja and the Federal Government offices moved to Anak Bukit. Now, lets take a look back at the country's situation:

290 over dumpsites in the country

7 incinerators bought and none are working (public funds), 5 new (RM200 million, no track record)

1 transfer stations, 3 years completed, not working (public funds)

big incinerators - hundreds of millions spend (public fund)

9 new sanitary landfill (290 million, public funds)

Another RM250 million a year to rebrand this service into 2 sector, policying (police) and operation (operators). Wonder who is going to take responsibility when the judge and the accused is sitting on the same side. Did anyone ever wonder how much is RM250 million divided over by the 18000 tons/ day of waste generated? That is RM38 per ton or RM648,000 per day for just employing and monitoring about 2000 to 3000 person per day. If this amount is being trickled down to the real operators, the country would have sparkling clean couple with the cukai pintu being collected by the municipalities.

"Corporate games" of David Cooperfield have to go. "Vegetation" carpet and green facades does not eliminate problems, but rather procrastinating the "time bomb". Our far sighted PM talks about transformation, reduction in GHG, Renewable Energy, recycling, resource recovery, rakyat didahulukan etc., these words are mere RHETORIC when certain privileged persons were given the "fast track" in so called solving environmental issues and taking advantage of the unsuspecting public chasing the stock market returns through "the story lines" in the media. A very pathetic situation indeed. And this will not go far in building our capital market to be ready for developing Green Initiative market.

When over 90% of the NEM is expected to be PFI driven, and yet there are more announcements of public spending in the certain projects even if they are ways of solving it without the good public and limited fund being used.

So Che Det, there's more to talk, but lets look at the basic challenge, Rakyat di Dahuluklan, Kejayaan di Utamakan, means the HIJRAH needs a Mind set Change and Political Will.

SentryBoat.

December 13, 2010 8:41 AM

ADOI, CHE DET TALKING SAMPAH TOO.

2010-12-10T05:33:00.000-08:00

In his usual trademark sarcasm Dr M made a dig HERE at our half-hearted attempts at Solid Waste Management. But there is some truth in his concluding smirk:

Frankly I think the authorities are scared to apply any solution because we are a democracy and no one wants to lose votes.

He would be referring to the BN controlled states, because two Pakatan States, Selangor and Penang have taken bold steps in their campaigns to do away with plastic bags, campaigns that go against the grain amongst our complacent citizenry, ever ready to take the route of least resistance.

Last week I made mention of a Made in Malaysia RRC(Refuse Recovery Centre)-RDF(Refuse Derived Fuel) –WTE (Waste to Energy) plant that gained international recognition and is the only such plant in the region HERE. The word I get is that some quarters in the Housing & Local Government Ministry is looking askance at this Made-in-Malaysia solution/initiative. Is it because the Ministry is making a concerted effort to Federalize Solid Waste Management (SWM). This is of course contrary to Agenda 21 of which Malaysia is a signatory. The UK federalized their SWM, failed miserably and have reverted back to allowing the municipalities/councils to manage their own waste. Municipal Waste Management ideally should be the responsible of each State Government. SWM is big money and I have this niggling suspicion that cronies would be making a bee-line for this big kill. I may be wrong although I hear that a company seeking listing (or already listed in the SC) is the front-runner. If this is so, then it is more like filling the deep pockets of cronies than digging deep into the resources available to manage our municipal wastes!

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said that if modern technology on the management of solid waste were in place, the lifespan of the landfills could be extended by more than 20 years.

“Sixteen of the 292 landflls in the country had been closed because they were full.”

POLITICAL WILL/SUPPORT IS THE KEY TO ACCELERATE THE SUCCESS OF THE RRC-RDE-WTE NOVEL TECHNOLOGY. CHANGE OF MINDSET FROM DUMPING OR LANDFILLING OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE TO TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN LOCAL SOLUTION IS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE AN INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.