Kota Kinabalu: City Hall (DBKK) is embracing innovative technology in its fight against marine pollution with the launch of a new waste collection boat (skimmer boat) aimed at cleaning up the seas and rivers surrounding the city.
Mayor Dato’ Sri Dr Sabin Samitah said the skimmer boat is capable of removing up to five tons of waste per collection, a significant leap from traditional manual methods.
AdvertisementAccording to him, DBKK had been using two small boats to collect waste from the sea for the past 24 years before finally getting their hands on the new technology.
“This is just the beginning, plans are in motion to introduce more boats in the near future to extend the reach of this much-needed initiative and smaller skimmer boats will be placed on the river because we will not be using the old methods anymore,” he said, after officiating KK Cleanup Day 1.0 at the Segama Waterfront, Saturday. Mayor Dato’ Sri Dr Sabin Samitah
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As for the programme today, about 5,000 participants joined and he estimated that around 80 tonnes of rubbish would be collected across the city, beaches, and islands.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});It would conduct a large-scale programme to clean the sea, beaches and seven rivers that flow into the sea, namely, Sungai Darau, Sungai Likas, Sungai Inanam, Sungai Kalansanan, Sungai Sembulan, Sungai Kolombong and Sungai Kg Numbak Sepanggar.
He also said DBKK would provide more collection points for those living by the rivers.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“We will also install more trash traps in the rivers and hold activities to engage with them to encourage them to not throw trash in the rivers,” he said.
Also introduced were two new initiatives that would add value to the cleanliness efforts, namely Cabaran “Kampungku Bersih” Programme and Upcycle @ Recology Programme.
The first aims to ignite community spirit by introducing elements of healthy competition where each village will be evaluated based on its cleanliness, innovation elements, tourism aspects, efforts to enhance safety around the village and the beauty of its landscapes.
“This programme not only cultivates a sense of cooperation but also serves as an inspiration for other villages to emulate best practices,” he said.
As for the second initiative, the programme introduces a creative approach to solid waste management in the city.
“Through this initiative, waste materials will be transformed into valuable and innovative products.
“This not only helps reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills but also provides the community with opportunities to explore new ideas in the field of recycling,” he said.
Asked about DBKK’s approach to waste management, Dr Sabin said that they continue to promote waste segregation.
“By segregating rubbish, waste management becomes easier and not too costly but although some companies have proposed converting trash into energy, there are still no investments for the initiative,” he said.
Dr Sabin also said that DBKK, together with Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission (MCMC) would install 1,500 closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) throughout the city, including the coastline to ensure the level of security and monitoring is kept in check.