KUALA LUMPUR: Food wastage is expected to decrease by three per cent in all states which implement the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007.
Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu said during last year's Ramadan, an average of 8,159 tonnes of solid waste were disposed of daily at 28 sites under Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation's (SWCorp) supervision.
"Out of this total solid waste amount, 35.45 per cent (2,892 tonnes) comprised food waste. The amount of food waste disposed of during Ramadan was found to decrease by 3.07 per cent compared to 2022.
"This year's Ramadan forecast anticipates another three per cent decrease in the amount of waste disposed of based on observations of the waste disposal trend during last year's Ramadan," she said.
She said this after opening the "Appreciate Food, Avoid Waste" Campaign by the ministry, through SWCorp, at the Kosmopleks Ramadan Bazaar in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi.
The campaign is aimed at contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, which aims to halve global per capita food waste by 2030.
It also aligns with initiatives introduced since 2015 with the objective of reducing food waste and the amount of food disposed of in landfills.
This month, SWCorp will conduct engagement sessions with vendors and visitors targeting 71 Ramadan bazaars in seven states implementing the act.