In a first of its kind, the north Malaysian state of Penang is planning to convert its organic waste into biogas, compost and food for the black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) which would, in turn, be harvested as a protein rich animal feed additive.

Currently, 60 percent of the total 1,500 tonnes of trash produced daily in Penang is organic waste and, therefore, a facility is to be set up in Penanti where organic waste would be used to feed millions of BSFL.

It is envisaged that the leftover substrate would become compost with the BSFL being used for animal feed and so the waste from the northeast district will be sent to the transfer station at Batu Maung to be segregated.

Other measures in the pipeline include working to enable the Indah Water Konsortium plant in Jelutong to accept organic waste and to convert them into biogas as they currently have a facility that is under utilised.

The waste from North Seberang Prai district will be sent to the Ampang Jajar transfer station where there is already a gasification facility to produce gases like oxygen and hydrogen while a biogas plant is to be set up in Valdor.

The plant at Valdor is to accept organic waste from South Seberang Prai district and will be ready by September 2023 and will become fully operational by the end of the year in a move welcomed by environmentalists.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE