Putrajaya may be interested to learn from Japan in its plans to construct an incinerator in Kepong, but Asia's most developed country is already scaling back on the technology.

KL Tak Nak Insinerator (KTI) action committee said even though Japan is still the country with the world's most incinerators, the number of plants have since been reduced by 35 percent in the last two decades.

It cited a 2011 report by Japan's Environmental Ministry, which showed the number of incinerators in the country had declined from 1,850 plants in the 1990s to 1,211 plants in 2011.

KTI, which is lobbying against the planned incinerator in Kepong, said this in reference to the government's tour to Japan starting yesterday to study the technology.

"The report adds (that) more than 30 percent of incinerators will also be closed down or suspended due to an increase in recycling and merging (of) smaller incinerators," it said in a statement.

Japan study tour

Nevertheless, KTI said it had accepted the government's invitation to visit Japan, where they will tour the Shibuya, Suginami and Adachi incinerators between June 21 to 25.

"The KTI committee will try to get answers on the above questions in the visit to Japan," it said.

June last year, the government announced its intention to build a high-tech incinerator with a burning capacityof 1,000 tonnes of garbage per day at Taman Beringin, Kepong.

To date, the tender process has yet to commence as it faces heavy protest from the local community.

Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan (above) had insisted the planned incinerator will be safe, citing Japan as an example.