SERDANG: Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan today launched the separation of solid waste from source implementation at the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park.
Also known as Act 672, it takes effect today in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Pahang, Perlis and Kedah.
The implementation was launched simultaneously in Kedah, Pahang and Johor.
Act 672 makes it mandatory for households in the affected states to separate their wastes according to categories Paper, Plastic and Miscellaneous.
These recyclable wastes will be collected once a week while twice a week for other solid wastes like kitchen, food and dirty wastes.
Failure to comply will see households compounded from June 1 next year.
The first offence will be compounded a sum of RM50. It will increase for repeated offences which includes court actions.
"Our goal is not to collect compounds but for Malaysians to make waste separation and recycling as part of their lifestyle, like in Japan.
"Malaysia spends RM 2 billion annually on waste management alone," Abdul Rahman said.
As plastic is considered as one of the most dangerous wastes, the launch was done in a symbolic completion of the "1Million Bottles One Dream" campaign where 1.3 million plastic bottles were collected.