A suggestion has been put forth by residents’ associations for the establishment of centralised bulk waste collection centres to cater to the convenience of the public. These centres are seen as necessary due to the tendency of most individuals to dispose of bulk waste during spring cleaning in preparation for festivities or when moving houses.
Activist Selva Sugumaran has voiced the need for a dedicated location where individuals can conveniently clear their homes of old furniture. He noted that in Section 14 of his area, there has been a surge in accumulated rubbish. The regular bulk waste collections are proving inadequate to keep up, leading to the need for additional trips to clear the mounting rubbish.
He suggests setting up a designated area in Petaling Jaya for bulk waste disposal, where charges can be imposed based on the amount collected.
Dr. Ong See Lian, the president of Damansara Jaya Residents and Owners Association, also backs the idea of centralised bulk waste collection centres. He points out that such waste tends to accumulate several times a year during festive celebrations and that early preparations by the local council to collect them via schedules or requests have been made.
The disposal of not just furniture but also non-functioning electrical goods is common during these periods, with some residents giving away their still-usable items to others, commented Dr. Ong. However, items made of glass are an exception, and old lampshades are wrapped properly to avoid breakage.
He also mentioned that a previous recycling centre was misused when all sorts of items were discarded there, making a centralised waste centre a more sensible solution.
Habeeb Rahman, the president of Damansara Utama Residents and Owners Association, reported that there will be a scheduled collection for their area’s bulk waste on Jan 27. The association has informed the residents via a group message, and the residents only need to leave their items outside their homes properly the day before collection.
The collected items typically include furniture, beds, old lights, and broken electrical goods, with scavengers also likely to collect them.
