MBKS taking proactive action to address environmental sustainability, social issues

Wee (right) oversees the transfer of used cooking oil.

KUCHING (March 2): The Kuching South City Council (MBKS) is taking proactive actions to address environmental sustainability and social issues, said Kuching South mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng.

He said the council is supporting a weekly recycling programme, whereby the recycling centre can serve as a one-stop centre for members of the public to exchange electronic waste or used cooking oil for cash.

“As a city council, we are trying to do our best not only in terms of infrastructure but we also play a vital role environmentally,” he said during an electronic waste and used cooking oil recycling programme at the Kenyalang Park Recycling Centre here today.

Wee explained the used cooking oil collected during the programme can be converted into biodiesel fuel by a private company and the public will receive RM2.50 for every litre of used cooking oil brought for recycling.

He also reminded all hawker centres and restaurant operators on their duty to install grease traps within their premises to prevent used cooking oil from being dumped into the drains and polluting the environment.

“Without the people’s cooperation and understanding, we cannot move forward. We have been doing all these initiatives for quite a while already, not just now,” he said.

Wee added MBKS is now working with the company to have their trucks move around the city to collect the used cooking oil back to their factory in Batu Kitang.

He said the council is also collecting data on the amount of electronic waste produced from different areas across the city, while a drug prevention programme will be held on Sunday as part of the council’s safe city initiative.