Black soldier fly larvae to be used to treat organic waste in landfills

 

Environment and water minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (centre) looking at the fly larvae used to treat organic waste. (Bernama pic)

TANAH MERAH: The sustainable waste management project using the black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) will be able to resolve the management of daily organic waste, including at landfills, in a sustainable manner.

Environment and water minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the project is funded by the low-carbon cities catalyst grant (GeRAK) under his ministry through the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC).

“The BSFL, or Hermetia illucens, a species of fly found in tropical climates around the world, is used to process various daily organic waste as well as to protect the environment and reduce pollution.

“The larvae of this species of fly are the best model used for sustainable food waste disposal, besides helping to reduce dumping of food waste into landfills,” he told reporters after launching the BSFL sustainable waste management project at the Tanah Merah wholesale market site here today.

Tuan Ibrahim said the BSFL facility was also to process waste products collected from the Manal wholesale market and the Bandar Tanah Merah general market.

He said the method would use 60% male larvae and 40% female larvae to process waste products collected and stored at a special building located behind the Manal wholesale market and Bandar Tanah Merah general market. This would take 14 to 21 days.

He said the process was expected to reduce waste dumped in landfills with a potential reduction of three tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per day, adding that the facility could produce compost to replace chemical fertilisers for the use of local authorities.

This sustainable project, he said, involved the cooperation of agencies such as the Tanah Merah district council, and the state government through Kelantan Utilities Mubaarakan Holdings Sdn Bhd, Universiti Kelantan Malaysia and the Kelantan Women Development Centre.

“Through GeRAK, a total of RM35 million is allocated under the People and Economic Strategic Empowerment Programme (Pemerkasa) approved by the government, involving local authorities in the country.

“To date, 141 local authorities have utilised the allocation to implement various low-carbon city initiatives, including energy, water, waste, mobility and greenery in public areas or facilities,” he said. - FMT