KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s aspirations for a greener and more sustainable circular economy will be supported through the use of organic fertiliser derived from biosolids, the downstream products of sewage treatment plants managed by Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), in a statement today, said the organic fertiliser would initially be used for non-food crops by selected local authorities (PBTs), before being expanded in stages for wider use.
The commitment was made at the 2025 Meeting of Environmental Ministers and Members of the State Government Council responsible for the Environment (Mexcoe) No. 2 yesterday, chaired by Minister of Plantations and Commodities Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, who is also the Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
The statement said that, at the same time, the Department of Environment (DOE) had implemented the Environmental Quality (Delegation of Powers to Government Departments, Local Authorities and Corporations) Order 2025, which was gazetted on July 7, 2025, and took effect on July 8, 2025.
According to NRES, the order was formulated to strengthen, empower and coordinate the six existing delegation of power orders, taking into account the expanded delegation of authority from the investigation stage to the enforcement follow-up stage, including the issuance of compounds and prosecution of cases.
It said the enforcement of the order is expected to enhance the DOE’s efforts in enforcing the Environmental Quality Act (AKAS) 1974, thereby strengthening measures to combat environmental crimes.
Meanwhile, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) under the Ministry of Human Resources announced the publication of the Guidelines for Asbestos Removal 2017, which serves as the main reference to ensure that asbestos removal, handling and disposal in Malaysia are carried out safely.
The statement stressed that the guidelines must be followed by all parties to control exposure to asbestos fibres released during removal activities, which can cause serious and chronic diseases and have long-term effects on the health of workers and the public.
In addition, the National Water Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) is developing sensor technology that can be used by state-level technical agencies to monitor effluent from logging, mining, quarrying, plantation and development activities, enabling continuous real-time monitoring with higher data integrity.
MEXCOE is made up of ministers and State Executive Council members responsible for environmental portfolios across the country, as well as officials from related ministries, departments and agencies at federal and state levels.
According to NRES, MEXCOE plays an important role as a platform to unify the vision and efforts of various parties in addressing environmental challenges, as well as to foster constructive dialogue, share ideas and coordinate strategies between the federal and state governments.
--BERNAMA
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