DBKK cracking down on garbage open-burning
Published on: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
By: Sidney Skinner
City Hall is cracking down on the open-burning occurring in the common areas along Lorong Zirafah.
RATEPAYERS in one part of Luyang have been reminded to cease burning their rubbish in the open as such activities can become a nuisance to their neighbours.
A spokeswoman for City Hall’s Environmental Health Department said notices to this affect were placed in post boxes or personally handed over to the occupants of homes along Lorong Zirafah.
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“We called on them to stop burning their waste with immediate effect,” she said.
This action was prompted by feedback that some of the common areas around Luyang Phase 2 had been turned into an illegal dump where rubbish and garden waste, was frequently burned.
Solid Waste Management and Environmental Health staff placing the brochures and notices into the post box of this Luyang home.
The homeowner, who spoke out about this problem, wrote to Hotline regarding the negative health impact and inconvenience caused by the smoke which permeated residences in the area.
He said a number of those staying there had developed bad sore throats and coughs from constantly inhaling the toxic vapours.
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A copy of this correspondence was forwarded to the agency.
The spokeswoman said staff with its Environmental Unit found evidence of the incineration near the basketball court, off Lorong Zirafah, and along certain sections of the stretch.
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She said the Unit’s personnel were still trying to ascertain who was doing this.
“None of the residents, encountered during their inspection, owned up burning their rubbish.”
This Luyang Phase 2 homeowner denied that he was about to set fire to the pile of trimmings in this part of the neighbourhood.
She said one of these individuals had even piled up the trimmings from his garden in what would have most likely led up him setting fire to this garden waste.
A spokesman for City Hall’s Solid Waste Management Department said pamphlets regarding its Pre-paid Bulk and Garden Waste Collection and the cleanliness of the common area were personally distributed around Luyang Phase 2.
He said the agency offered a prepaid garden and bulky waste collection service to residential rate-payers as it was keen to minimise the likelihood of illegal dumps springing up around housing areas under its jurisdiction.
As to how the prepaid service worked, he said an orange sticker should be affixed to each piece of bulky waste which had been discarded, while a green one should be attached to the individual bags of garden waste.
The trimmings should be cut down to a more manageable size prior to being bagged, according to him.
“The homeowner is required to alert us to the type of waste he/ she is getting rid of and specify his/ her address, in such instances.
“The unwanted items, including the bags of garden waste, should then be placed beside their dustbin, outside his/ her gate.
“They should be left in such a manner so that the stickers are visible from the road-side.”
He said City Hall aimed to have this waste removed within a week from the date of the ratepayer’s call
“Two of our trucks will be sent to the homeowner’s area for this purpose.
“It would be impossible for the bulky waste to be loaded into our compactors and to do so with the bags of garden waste would risk compromising the hydraulics of these vehicles.”
A spokesman for the agency’s Enforcement Department said ratepayers risked being compounded up to RM500 if they were caught open-burning in the common areas.
He said such action could be taken under its Anti-Litter By-Laws 1984.
To this end, he said, its officers would make periodic checks of the housing roads around Luyang Phase 2 to try and nab the errant parties red handed.
“Repeat and defiant offenders risk of having legal action taken against them. Should they be found guilty in court, they face the possibility of having to settle a fine of up to RM10,000.”
“Ratepayers can also facilitate this effort by contacting us directly if they have any information about the incineration activities taking place in their area.”
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