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DBKL mulls patching potholes with plastic waste
Maimunah (third from left) looking on as Wan Mohd Fauzi shows a disabled parking bay that has been resurfaced with glass waste. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is considering using recovered plastics to fix potholes in the capital in a bid to cut costs.
Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said DBKL had carried out pilot tests in industrial areas to evaluate the material's durability.
'Compared to the commonly used material, namely bitumen, plastic is cheaper and more durable.
'We will implement this approach at facilities maintained by DBKL, such as playgrounds and bicycle lanes.'
She said this after visiting Taman Tasik Titiwangsa to inspect several upgrading projects using recovered materials.
Among these were parking bays which had been resurfaced using crushed glass.
This was a project undertaken by a local start-up.
The mayor said these projects were part of City Hall's push towards green initiatives and sustainability.
'This is in line with our vision to make Kuala Lumpur a zero-waste city.
'We are not just planting trees, we are making active efforts towards sustainability,' she said.
City Hall was hoping to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, she said.
Maimunah said DBKL spent RM260mil a year on managing waste, with 40% of that for collection costs.
'This is a huge cost which can otherwise go towards upgrading markets and playgrounds.'
Maimunah then elaborated on plans to designate some areas in Kuala Lumpur as zero-waste zones.
On May 15, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa announced that busy spots in the capital would be earmarked for this purpose as part of a larger effort to reduce waste and make the capital more environmentally friendly.
Maimunah said DBKL was working to identify local communities in Kuala Lumpur's 11 parliamentary constituencies for the initiative.
'We plan on collaborating with those who are actively working on recycling initiatives.
'We prefer to work with those who are willing participants, to ensure optimal results,' she said.
Also present at the event were Ecocycle Dynamic Solutions Sdn Bhd director Datuk Seri Wan Mohd Fauzi Wan Kamaruddin and Renergy Bumi Hijau Sdn Bhd business development director Sumeshini Subramaniam.
