THE flash floods in Johor Baru last month should remind us of the importance of proper solid waste disposal.
“The flooding is the result of our own actions and it will only get worse if we continue to ignore the environment,” said Hafizul Syarafi Mohd Noor, coordinator of SK Taman Suria Environmental Club, recently contacted.
“Part of the congestion of canals and drainage systems in the city center has been caused by improper dumping of waste.
“Not only will this lead to safety concerns and property damage, but it will also put us at health risks as mosquito breeding areas spread. “
Hafizul further explained that Taman Suria’s school, Johor Baru, set up its own recycling center in 2017.
The public can also bring items that they no longer need.
“We think this is the best option compared to disposing of things by the roadside or worse, in rivers.
“All unwanted material from here will either be sent to SWM Environment Sdn Bhd (SWM Environment) for disposal or collected by members of the public who find it useful,” he added.
The center – known as the Kuru Kuru Room – houses a variety of items, from unwanted furniture to clothing.
Hafizul said the idea to introduce a recycling center at the school came after she became one of the participants in the Iskandar Malaysia Ecolife Challenge (IMELC) organized by Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Johor Education Department.
“This year alone, we managed to collect 5,170 kg of recyclable waste in our school,” he added.
Meanwhile, SWM Environment said in a statement that SK Taman Suria’s initiative was one of the best ways to teach schoolchildren how to reduce waste, or earn income from waste, and to encourage environmental sustainability. .
“SK Taman Suria is one of the schools active in encouraging students, teachers, parents and the local community to participate in their recycling programs.
“The school also recorded one of the highest collections of recyclable waste under the IMELC New Norm program, with 11,000 kg of waste in 2020, against 6,170 kg of waste in 2019,” he said. he adds.