New Plan For Garbage Collection

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/28/central/6133665&sec=

Wednesday April 28, 2010
New plan for garbage collection
MAYOR SPEAKS
By ADNAN MOHD IKHSAN
Subang Jaya

CLEANLINESS is an issue close to my heart.

Under a pilot project, the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) will be introducing a central garbage disposal system for commercial areas, starting with Jalan Bandar in Pusat Bandar Puchong, Puchong.

Presently, the Alam Flora contractors’ garbage collection scope in commercial areas is done door-to-door every day except Sundays.

Business premises are required to have at least one garbage bin under Bylaw 6, Garbage Collection, Discard and Disposal (MPSJ) 2007 and Bylaw 18, Trade, Business and Industry Licensing Bylaw (MPSJ) 2007.

Business owners will be slapped with a maximum compound of RM1,000 if they fail to comply.

However, the reality is that people who often indiscriminately throw rubbish, claim that the existing garbage bins are insufficientrubbish bins.

This results in a messy situation and makes it more difficult for the Alam Flora workers doing the garbage collection rounds.

Under the project, we have identified several key garbage collection points in Pusat Bandar Puchong where large 1,000-litre bins will be placed.

A total of 12 bins, which can be attached to a compactor lorry, will be placed in Jalan Bandar 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 16.

The traders and shoplot residents will have to dispose of their garbage into these bins on their own as the door-to-door collection will stop and Alam Flora workers will only collect garbage from these 12 bins.

Meanwhile, the MPSJ will not entertain complaints regarding garbage thrown in front of shops or in the backlanes any more.

We started sending notices to the shop owners and traders from April 1 and the ruling will be effective from May 1.

We have also had meetings with the traders and distributed pamphlets to them.

The MPSJ has to spend an additional RM4,000 to rent the 12 bins, plus the RM6,000 per month for the Alam Flora services like sweeping the roads and garbage collection in Pusat Bandar Puchong.

We are starting in Pusat Bandar Puchong because this area has been receiving the most number of complaints.

We will monitor the project for about three months before looking at extending it to other areas.

The traders and public should also play their role by catching errant traders or passers-by who throw rubbish indiscriminately by taking pictures and reporting them to the MPSJ.

To better enforce the ruling, we are considering the idea of sending undercover MPSJ officers to monitor the area.

However, it is also the traders’ and business operators’ responsibility to ensure the cleanliness of their areas, as a clean space is sure to attract more customers and that would be to their benefit.

What is also lacking is the attitude and civic consciousness among the members of society.