The Housing and Local Government Ministry will conduct a three- week "working laboratory" from March 26 to study the best

incineration system for the country, its minister Chor Chee Heung said today.

During the period, he said, experts would conduct a detailed study on the best technology for a facility with a daily incineration capacity of 800 to 1,000 tonnes.

"Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has said that this is to be done by way of international tender through a request-for-proposal method.

"Local experts will then study the best technology and the cheapest, and one that will not cause adverse effects on people's health," he told reporters after a special preview of the National Solid Waste Management Department's recycling campaign in Putrajaya.

Also present was popular actress Maya Karin, who was filmed in an advertisement for the campaign which will be aired on television and radio stations and streamed over the Internet starting today.

At present, there are four incinerators in the country - in Langkawi, Pulau Tioman, Pulau Pangkor and Cameron Highlands - with the fifth, in Labuan, to be completed soon.

Meanwhile, the department's director-general Nadzri Yahaya said the laboratory would comprise about 50 participants, including experts from local universities, consultants and representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

They are expected to study the financial model and suitable locations for the facility.

"The capital expenditure for an incinerator is between RM500 million to RM800 million, which includes the plant and the mitigation measure," he said.

The international tender for the incinerator is expected to be called in June or early July this year and expected to be completed the soonest by 2015, he said.

Incinerators have been in used in many countries to dispose of waste, he said, with Tokyo and Singapore having 20 and five incinerators respectively.

- Bernama