Private contractors stage protest at Pulau Burung landfill

NIBONG TEBAL – Private contractors involved in Penang’s garbage collection staged a protest at the Pulau Burung landfill area, claiming that the operator is making it difficult to dispose of garbage at the site.

More than 100 lorries made a beeline before the entrance to the landfill in Ladang Byram as contractors claim each trip, which was made 30 minutes earlier, had turned into three hours before they dispose of the waste at the landfill. 

It was told that a total of 57 contractors are registered with the Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP) to conduct waste disposal in the state.

The lorry owners are also contractors who collect garbage from the manufacturing plants, hypermarkets, agricultural farms, and multinational semiconductor plants in Bayan Lepas, Prai Industrial Estate, Bukit Minyak Industrial Estate and many other industrial areas in the state.  

The landfill site is under Phase II of the Pulau Burung landfill, which was reported to be on fire on January 12 and lasted three weeks before the authorities doused it.

Chairman of the action committee set up to tackle the garbage issue, Arif Ibrahim, told The Vibes that their livelihood would be affected if the situation continues for too long.

He said the management of many companies has threatened to terminate the contracts, especially the multinational companies.

“We told them it is not our fault. However, they refused to listen to us, as they complained their plants are stinking because of the non-disposal of waste.

“In some cases, garbage bins are filled with worms,” he said, adding that police were also briefed on the situation.

Arif said a representative of the contractor who met them also promised to resolve the problem as soon as possible.

Deputy head of the action committee, Elangovan S – who has been in the business for the last 15 years and has two three-ton lorries for the operations – said initially, each trip will take about 30 minutes to enter the landfill and dispose of the waste.

But now, they have to wait more than three hours in the lorry to dispose of the waste.

“We have to make three trips a day to the landfill to make ends meet. But now, the operator has made it difficult for us, as it takes us until 9pm for us to make the last trip.

“Many of us start our first trip at 6am. After the disposal at the landfill, we will return to the plants to collect the remaining waste.

“But now, at the rate we are going, we are held up due to the waiting time,” he said.

He added that police and representatives of the landfill contractors met today to discuss the matter and that they promised to resolve it soon. – The Vibes, March 7, 2022