(Kuching, 22nd) Acting General Manager of the Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA), Kusyairi Bostani pointed out that the issue of handling kitchen waste needs to be resolved immediately because its impact on the environment is becoming increasingly serious.
He stated that the amount of kitchen waste is continuously increasing, causing soil pollution, odor, and other issues such as landfill fires.
Therefore, he urged the public to take proactive measures by starting composting activities at home to reduce kitchen waste disposal.
"Public awareness of this issue is still very low because we can see the amount of food waste increasing year by year. This requires us to make comprehensive efforts, through the efforts of villagers, to utilize existing technology to sort household waste from homes to achieve the goal of zero food waste."
Kusayri noted at the launch of the Kota Samarahan Family Composting Workshop yesterday, which is related to the zero food waste movement by 2030.
He stated that in 2021 alone, food waste discarded in Kota Samarahan reached 43,000 tons and may increase in the coming years.
He added that besides maintaining environmental sustainability, making compost from home can also provide additional income for villagers, as they can sell the compost to buyers.
"Residents can earn up to 5,000 Ringgit for every 10 tons of processed and sold organic fertilizer. If they can supply 10 times a year, then they can earn up to 50,000 Ringgit annually."
The program, jointly organized by the Land Custody Development Authority, the MoLaTuVa Women's Development Association, and the Kampung Nayi Village Development and Security Committee, successfully attracted 150 participants from 8 villages, namely Kampung Man, Kampung Embira, Kampung Niou, Kampung Tanjong Tuang, Kampung Melayu, Kampung Nayi Lamah, Kampung Bango, and Kampung Nagong.