This covers its generation, consumption, collection and treatment, he added.

Reezal said although present initiatives were commendable, they did not provide economies of scale for materials to be recycled at the industrial level, Bernama reported the former housing and local government minister as saying during the debate on the 2024 supply bill and the proposed development budget in the Penang assembly sitting today.

Reezal said despite Penang’s waste separation policy, too much waste was ending up in landfills, which had increased from 1,700 tonnes a day in 2009 to 2,300 tonnes a day last year.

He questioned the validity of the data gathered on the recycling rate because it was impossible for the recycling rate to increase at the same time as the volume of waste sent to landfills.

Reezal said that Penang’s recycling rate was estimated at 51.2% last year. No previous comparative figures were given in the assembly.

The assembly sits again tomorrow.