The project to process organic waste from the Kuala Lumpur Wholesale Market helped Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) save RM15,000 in management costs since it was launched on April 1.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan (above) said it entailed the processing of 30 tonnes of vegetable waste into composting materials, transportation costs and "tips".

"This project works for Kuala Lumpur. Not only it saves the cost of shipping to the Bukit Tagar Sanitary Landfill, but we also take care of the environment as a whole.

"We will expand this programme to other markets around Kuala Lumpur to raise awareness, knowledge and skills on waste separation to wholesalers and I hope it will be a model for the local authorities to emulate as well as," he told reporters during a visit to the Kuala Lumpur Wholesale Market today.

The programme was implemented with Konsortium Pasar Borong Sdn Bhd (KPB) in collaboration with Betsol Sdn Bhd and Pasar Borong Kuala Lumpur vegetables and fruits wholesalers.

City Hall Department of Health and Environment deputy director Norhayati Mat Said said from April 1 to May 15, the project received good response from vegetable wholesalers despite experiencing some difficulty in convincing them in the beginning.

She explained the vegetable wastes would be taken by Betsol Sdn Bhd to be processed into compost and animal feed using black-soldier flies. - Bernama