KLANG: Malaysia’s first high-tech river plastic waste sorting facility in Sungai Klang has collected some 4,000kg of plastic since beginning operations in December last year.
The RM1.5 million facility, a collaboration between Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) master developer Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) and environmental
non-profit The Ocean Cleanup, was fully funded by Coca-Cola Malaysia.
LLSB managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin said the facility has the capacity to sort up to 10,000kg of waste per day.
He said the initiative is expected to reduce reliance on landfills and improve the management of marine waste in a more sustainable way.
“Our target is 20% of the waste we collect from the Klang River will not end up in landfills.
“At the very least, we can extract and recover plastic and manage it responsibly,” Syaiful Azmen said after the official launch of the facility at Taman Pengkalan Batu yesterday.
Also present were Klang Royal City Council Mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Ching Thoo.
Syaiful Azmen said there is a need to establish similar facilities along the 100km-long Klang River, including in Shah Alam.
“Previously, waste collected from the river went straight to a landfill. Now, with support from Ocean Cleanup, Coca-Cola and the J&K Wonderland Foundation, we are finding better ways to manage
river waste.”
“With this facility, we can extract plastics, which form the bulk of river waste, and work with local recyclers to ensure they are reused.
“There is also organic waste, so we are collaborating with the Klang council to explore sustainable disposal methods for that too,” he added.
In his keynote speech, Abd Hamid said the facility aligns with the circular economy approach by creating a dedicated space to systematically separate and process plastic and organic waste.
“This not only reduces landfill dependence but also lowers carbon emissions and water pollution.
“The facility contributes to environmental conservation while providing real benefits to the local community.
“It helps reduce marine waste, boosts recycling efficiency and creates stable job opportunities for residents,” he said.
