KUANTAN: Food waste discarded during the fasting month of Ramadan at the Kuantan City Council (MBK1) field here will be processed into compost to produce organic fertiliser.
Leftover food from those who break their fast at the MBK1 field and excess cooking ingredients from the bazaar traders will be disposed into a food waste composting machine at the site.
Pahang Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) director Sharudin Hamid said the recycling initiative will help reduce food waste from being thrown directly into the rubbish bins in the vicinity.
"The initiative was introduced last year and the processed organic fertiliser was distributed to the community garden participants in Tanjung Lumpur. Since the first day of Ramadan (March 12) till yesterday (March 15), some 100kg of food waste were collected and will be able to produce some 30kg of compost manure.
"The food waste thrown into the composting machine includes bones and unconsumed food left behind at the end of the breaking of fast (food bought by the public). The Ramadan bazaar traders can dispose of the leftover cooking items including leaves....I would like to highlight that excess cooked dishes or unsold food from Ramadan bazaars are not thrown into the machine," he said when contacted today.
Sharudin said the food waste disposed of into the crusher machine will be mixed with wood dust to help the decomposition process before the fertliser can be produced.
"This initiative is part of our sustainability goal efforts to assist the public and traders from throwing away the food waste during the fasting month of Ramadan. Our staff are on duty near the machine and they will assist the public to dispose of the leftovers.
"To date, MBK1 is the only location equipped with the machine and we plan to expand similar efforts to other areas including night markets in the future," he said.
On the unsold meals at the Ramadan bazaars, Sharudin said the food was collected for distribution to orphanages and for the needy.
"I would not describe them as unsold food as some traders would voluntarily come forward to contribute the meals much earlier and not wait until late in the evening. The traders want to do some charity for the needy. The food is repacked before being distributed.
"SWCorp works closely with Gema Malaysia Youth Organisation and MBK to collect, and coordinate the food distribution," he said.
Meanwhile Sharudin said SWCorp has also moblised its staff across Pahang to visit the Ramadan bazaars and locations where the public break their fast to distribute pamphlets to raise awareness on overbuying and wasting food.
