Recently, there were a MalaysiaKini article, dated 27 Jan 2025, and a video featurette, dated 12 Jan 2025, regarding the proposed incineration Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facilities as a solution for waste management in Selangor. It was reported that existing landfills are operating beyond their capacities and might not be able to cope with the increasing waste volume in the long term.

However, the proposed incineration WTE development project in Rawang has attracted nearby residents’ objections which has caught the public’s attention. The protests were mainly due to residents’ concerns on environmental, safety and health issues that may arise from the operations of incineration WTE plants. Several NGOs have also raised their concerns regarding whether the incineration WTE plants are able to treat our commingled solid wastes with high moisture contents, and its impact towards the recycling and recovery initiatives from the communities and industries.

BTEP Bukit Tagar Sanitary Landfill Operating (right) and Closed (left) Phases

Economists have also indicated that high capital investments are required to develop and operate the incineration WTE plants, which might increase the financial burdens to the Government.

In fact, in Selangor State, there is an award-winning operating sanitary landfill equipped with a 12MW WTE plant utilizing Landfill Gas-to-Energy technology, which can cater for solid waste in the Northern Region of Selangor in the next 30 – 40 years. Bukit Tagar Enviro Park (BTEP), Hulu Selangor is developed and being operated by Berjaya Enviroparks Sdn Bhd, since 2011, under the supervision of Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) and Kuala Lumpur’s City Council (DBKL).

BTEP is receiving approximately 3,000 tons per day (tpd) from Kuala Lumpur, Selayang and Hulu Selangor, and it can cater for up to 6,000 tpd capacity of solid wastes from the Northern Region of Selangor State and private wastes from surrounding industrial areas in Selangor and also Genting Highlands, Pahang. BTEP is recycling biodegradable organic wastes which is 35% of the commingled solid waste into renewable energy.

An Overview of the Award-Winning Sanitary Landfill in Bukit Tagar Enviro Park (BTEP)

BTEP is a sustainable waste management facility sitting on 659 acres sized land. It is surrounded by a 1,000 acres of permanent buffer zone, which effectively ensures that any residential and commercial premises are 500m radius away from the site boundary in order to comply with the requirements imposed by Department of Environment (DOE) of Malaysia.

BTEP’s sanitary landfill has received numerous awards, both locally and abroad, for its pioneering efforts. Amongst the notable awards are:

• Waste Management Association of Malaysia (WMAM)’s Exceptional Facility Management Award Large Enterprise 2023

• The Institution of Engineers Malaysia, recognized BTEP’s invaluable contribution to the engineering industry in 2008 and 2021

• In 2019, BTEP earned the Merit Award in National Grid Renewable Energy at the National Energy Awards presented by The Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC)

• BTEP also received global recognition in 2013, when it was honored with the Outstanding Singapore Environmental Achievement Award by the Singapore Environment Council.

BTEP’s sanitary landfill is designed and constructed as a fully engineered Level IV landfill based on the guidelines of Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), with a complete composite bottom liner system, leachate and landfill gas collection equipped with treatment systems to ensure full environmental protection from groundwater, surface water and air pollution.

Furthermore, BTEP’s sanitary landfill has been practicing daily HDPE cover liner instead of typical soil cover for daily waste tipping operations in order to effectively minimize odor and rainwater percolation into the landfilled wastes which reduces leachate (waste water) generation.

It has a State-of-the-Art Leachate Treatment Plant (LTP) with daily capacity of 2,200 cubic meter per day, which operates 24/7 to ensure that leachate is continually treated and monitored via advanced Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to allow immediate response on leachate treatment and quality.

BTEP’s sanitary landfill operations has been complying to the operating standards and environmental compliance requirements imposed by the Local Authorities including KPKT, DBKL, Selangor State Government and DOE.

BTEP Renewable Energy Center and De-Carbonisation Initiatives

BTEP’s Renewable Energy Center has exported more than 400 million kWh of green electricity into the grid and has been recognised as the largest Waste-to-Energy (WTE) producer in Malaysia under the solid waste category. In addition, the Renewable Energy Center has recorded the highest Certified Emission Reduction (carbon credits) issued for a landfill project in South East Asia under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) scheme with a total of 2.7 million tonnes CO2 equivalent verified based on United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 2020 records.

Gas Engines in the Renewable Energy Plant

BTEP’s contribution to DBKL and other surrounding Local Authorities are:

Competitive and affordable tipping fee rates for solid waste treatment & disposal;
Support DBKL and Local Authorities’ aspirations in their efforts towards de-carbonisation to become carbon neutral cities by 2050;
Rapid response to Local Authorities’ requests in managing any emergencies e.g. flood incidents causing a sudden increase of solid wastes tonnages;
Participations in solid waste recycling & sustainability efforts and campaigns.

The Government via KPKT has launched a Circular Economy Blueprint for Solid Waste in Malaysia to promote solid waste recycling and recovery. BTEP’s initiatives are duly aligned with the Blueprint and is developing several programs to increase the recycling rate of solid waste and enhance sustainability, which includes:

Research on the production of animal feed or extraction of chitosan via Black Soldier Fly technology on Food Waste;
Production of Alternative Fuel from dried and combustible solid waste;
Installation of solar renewable energy system;
Rainwater harvesting and treatment of the surface water for on-site consumption.

“We provide quality service with full compliances to the Local Authorities’ requirements for our customers from DBKL, Majlis Perbandaran Selayang, Majlis Perbandaran Hulu Selangor and the Private Sectors (Industrial, Commercial & Institutional waste). We can increase our operating capacity fairly quickly to assist Local Authorities in Selangor State for the treatment and disposal of their solid wastes. Our facilities in BTEP will be able to treat and recycle bottom & fly ashes generated from the upcoming solid waste incineration WTE plants in the near future. We are fully committed to do our part in supporting the Government’s aspirations towards the direction of waste recycling in ensuring sustainability and wellbeing of the public, environment and future generations.” said Koh Chee Yong, the Managing Director of Berjaya Enviroparks Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Naza Enviro Holdings Sdn Bhd.

This content is provided by Berjaya EnviroParks Sdn Bhd

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

Interested in having your press releases, exclusive interviews, or branded content articles on Malaysiakini? For more information, contact [email protected] or [email protected]