PUTRAJAYA: While many Malaysians associate Alam Flora as a company that collects and disposes of rubbish and waste from offices, businesses, homes and shopping centres, the company is more than just that.
The subsidiary of Malakoff Corporation Bhd is a forward-thinking company with a subsidiary that is committed and focused on sustainability and better, proper waste management for a cleaner, brighter future for all.
This fully-owned subsidiary is known as Alam Flora Environmental Solutions (AFES), which has been around since 2013. Formerly known as DRB-HICOM Environmental Services (DHES), it had recently undergone a rebranding using the current name to better reflect its beyond waste solution value proposition.
It offers environmental solutions from its core business activities —Asset and Facilities Management (AFM), Infrastructure Cleansing and Waste Solutions (ICWS) and Waste Management Facility (WMF), through sustainable development which harnesses technological development and advancements that support the global goals introduced by the United Nations: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).When met at Fasiliti Inovasi Kitar Semula (FIKS) in Precinct 5 here recently, AFES chief operations officer (COO) Nazar Abd Raof was found not in his office but on the ground with the staff, who were sorting and separating the waste that had just come in at the Integrated Recycling Facility (IRF).
He later explained why the company is pursuing sustainable development by way of integrated waste management.
"Sustainability and a better, more environment-friendly integrated waste management system is vital for the country's future, as not only will it address issues such as waste disposal, poverty and inequality, but it will also allow for everyone to enjoy a better, healthier life through better waste management and disposal services, which reduce the amount and level of harm and pollution to the environment in the long run.
"The previous practice of waste management sees all the waste and rubbish collected being sent to landfills, but as the country and economy grow, landfills are no longer a feasible means of waste disposal as land is becoming scarcer and costlier, and landfills also have a harmful effect on the environment.
This is where AFES comes in to provide advancements and explore new technologies and solutions for better waste management." Nazar said Alam Flora, together with AFES, go the extra mile to do what other waste concessionaires have yet to do.
As an example, he cited the latest integrated waste management model developed for Malaysia Airports Berhad (MAB), a sustainability partner of the company.
Tonnes of waste that come in daily from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) are no longer just moved to a landfill, but instead, undergo a sorting process first.
"We collect more than 100 tonnes of rubbish from KLIA and Putrajaya daily, and this is where AFES' facilities, FIKS and IRF, come in. Dry waste, such as paper, cardboards, plastics and glass, is processed and sorted for recycling and repurposing, unlike other waste disposal concessionaires, who send dry and wet waste, such as food waste, to the landfill.
"At KLIA, for example, we have set up an operational sorting centre there where our staff are on site to process and aggregate the waste accordingly. Materials that can be recycled and repurposed are set aside so that not all the waste and rubbish end up in landfills. This reduces dependency on such a disposal method and is better for the environment in the long run.
"This is part of our effort and focus on sustainability, and it's also a form of wealth sharing as the proceeds from the dry waste that is recycled and repurposed, is shared with our partners such as MAB.
We provide jobs by employing staff for the centres as well as appointing entrepreneurs with lorries, to carry out the logistics for the recyclable waste. We are promoting this model to corporate entities, establishments and businesses here as our country needs such a solution for a more sustainable future."
Nazar said that during tough times, where the country and the rest of the world are still grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, such a business model, which promotes sustainability, could 'kill two birds with one stone' by addressing the need for improved waste management and also providing income for companies and the people.
He said the AFES business model and facilities could be used to educate the public, especially children, on the importance and need for sustainable practices for a better future with a healthier and cleaner environment.
"FIKS and IRF in Putrajaya cost more than RM12 million, and we are operating 11 other sites as well that incorporate such forward-thinking practices in handling and managing waste in line with our target of providing better value added services for everyone.
"Once the restrictions on travel, gatherings and visits are lifted, provided it is safe, then we will open our doors and welcome all to FIKS to learn about how everyone can play his part when it comes to managing waste in line with its tagline, 'come with a purpose, leave with a plan'.
"Sustainability for a better, brighter future is not something that can wait or be put on hold. We need corporate entities, businesses and communities to embrace such a model because it is a holistic approach in addressing waste that will bear fruit and pay dividends in time to come, paving the way in creating the future we want."