GEORGE TOWN: For years, a senior citizen has been riding around the island on a motorcycle, collecting and sorting recyclable materials for a living.
But as his health began failing, he could not deal with it and ended up living with “mountainous” piles of recyclables in his house.
Following public complaints, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) visited the senior citizen’s home in Batu Maung.
It took six truckloads to clear 4,440kg of the waste piled high in the compound of his single-storey house.
More than 20 MBPP workers took five hours on Thursday to remove the rubbish.
Mammoth task: It took over 20 MBPP workers and six trucks to clear the rubbish from the house in Batu Maung. — Photo provided by MBPP
And as per MBPP regulations, the senior citizen was left with a RM2,021.74 bill for the removal, transport and disposal of the waste.
In a statement, MBPP said it had to act because of complaints by those in the neighbourhood.
“The resident said he would sort through the recyclable waste to sell to recycling centres.
“But due to his deteriorating health, managing the accumulated waste became impossible yet the quantity increased daily,” said MBPP.
As it became a breeding ground for pests, MBPP said the Southwest District Health Department issued the senior citizen a notice under Section 8 of the Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act 1975 on Oct 7.
The senior citizen had been given a warning to stop collecting and sorting rubbish, and to clean up his house compound, failing which MBPP would take follow-up action.
In Penang, by-laws were enacted since 2016 to regulate those involved in waste segregation and the collection of recyclable materials.
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