Selangor Journal

Hard work pays off as Klang River undergoes remarkable transformation from filthy to clean

SHAH ALAM, Nov 24 — A total of 75,402 metric tonnes of solid waste has been successfully cleared from the Klang River from 2016 until September 2021, through the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) project.

Of this, an estimated 50 per cent is organic waste including grass, the common water hyacinth plant, and trees, while the remainder include non-organic waste such as plastic, can and textile.

Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin said the initiative is in line with the state government’s commitment to reduce 33 per cent of waste production by the end of December.

“By the end of 2022, the project aims to reduce annual waste production to 40 per cent, compared to the total collection during its first year of operation in 2016,” he said in a statement.

Syaiful added that several additional actions have been taken to intensify the cleaning effort, including the installation and upgrading of the waste filter and net at 38 potential locations, at the river’s downstream.

He said other efforts include conducting an awareness programme for residents living nearby the river, and educating them on responsible garbage recycling and disposing.

“With the collective efforts of four municipalities and state agencies along with the increased awareness of the environment, I am confident we can achieve the 40 percent target of reducing waste, ”said Syaiful.

LLSB, a subsidiary of the state government, has been given a mandate to lead the SMG project, including the cleaning and conservation efforts at Sungai Klang as well as other sustainable development in the surrounding area.

Formerly considered as one of the world’s dirtiest rivers, a drastic change has come over the Klang River, with most of its waste removed since 2016.

On average, around 1,000 metric tonnes of waste is collected every month since 2018, compared to 1,500 metric tonnes previously.

“The Klang River has always been listed as among the dirtiest of rivers. The situation has changed drastically and the time has come for the river to be excluded from the list.

“Most of the floating waste has been removed and you can ride on a boat from Pangkalan Batu to Port Klang without having to stop every 500 metres,” he said.

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