KL, Putrajaya and Pahang see an increase of 4,000 metric tonnes in solid waste collection during Ramadan

Uneaten food sold at Ramadan bazaars in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Pahang are among the main contributors to the increase of solid waste collected throughout the fasting month.

Alam Flora in a statement today, said it collected 54,000 metric tonnes throughout the 20 days of Ramadan, noting a significant increase compared to the 50,000 metric tonnes collected during the fasting month last year.

According to statistics from 2019 to 2024, the trend of increased solid waste collection during Ramadan is as expected, but it can be reduced by 66 per cent if people know how to store and purchase food correctly.

Alam Flora chief executive officer Adam Saffian Ghazali said “uneaten or disrupted food sold at Ramadan bazaars” is among the main contributors to the increased waste collection, aside from plastic packaging and polystyrene.

“The wastage of food during Ramadan can be seen with the rise in 2,800 metric tonnes of waste taken to the landfill daily, compared to 2,500 metric tonnes of waste on regular days, especially in densely populated areas like Kuala Lumpur,” said Adam.

He added that there could be an excess of unsold food at the Ramadan bazaar, ultimately ending up in the trash bin as wasted food.

“However, cooperation from all parties is still needed to help maintain cleanliness in their respective areas.

“For example, food waste and recyclables need to be separated, securely tied in suitable plastic bags and placed beside the bin on collection days for recycling items in line with the government’s waste separation programme,” he added.

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