Phee (right) presenting recycling boxes to residents. Present is MPSP councillor Tengku Rasidah Tengku Kamarudin (left).
 

THE Zero Waste Environmental Resource Centre in Taman Bagan Lalang, Butterworth, Penang, has gone another step forward by embarking on a ‘Zero Waste with QR Code’ programme to manage food waste in the housing area.

Its chairman Andrew Lim Chee Kiang said his committee would keep track of the waste collected from the residents via QR Code and award points and prizes that could be redeemed online.

The food waste would be collected on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

“Residents are given a container with a QR code on them.

“The participants of the programme can redeem prizes online based on the points they have collected.

Mooi Siew Lai (right) and other committee members of the resource centre showing how to scan the QR code on a food waste container after the launching of the ‘Zero Waste with QR Code’ programme at the Taman Bagan Lalang Environment Resource Centre in Butterworth. — MUSTAFA AHMAD/The Star   

“The food waste collected will be sent to the resource centre and the committee will process the waste using the biogas system and composting methods,” said Lim at the programme launch at the centre on Sunday.

According to State Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh, there are 350 houses in Taman Bagan Lalang and for a start, around 174 houses have registered for the programme.

Noting that less than half the population are participating, Phee said: “We are confident more will join as we target all households to eventually take part.

Present at the launching ceremony were Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) LA 21 coordinator Chew Eng Seng and MPSP councillor Tengku Rasidah Tengku Kamarudin.

Phee added that the QR Code programme for food waste was a pilot initiative which was started in the housing area about two months ago.

He said he was informed by the committee that the programme had shown improvement and was extended to 174 houses.

“Once we have documented data from the participating households, we will then come up with necessary guidelines.

“After the guidelines are approved, they will be used by MPSP for the mainland and later by Penang Island City Council for the island,” he said.