InfoSAWIT, GEORGE TOWN – The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has begun processing tons of food waste generated from Ramadan bazaars into compost and biodiesel as part of a sustainable waste management initiative.

MBPP Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said around 30 tons of food waste are collected daily from 26 Ramadan bazaar locations across Penang Island.

During the Ramadan period, the total waste volume could reach approximately 900 tons.

To address this issue, MBPP installed a food waste processing machine at the Bayan Putra Ramadan Bazaar near Queensbay Mall as a pilot project.

The machine separates food waste into oil, fine particles, and clean water. The particles are processed into compost, while used cooking oil is recycled into biodiesel through cooperation with Petronas.

“Our monitoring shows that consumers are beginning to use the waste separation bins provided, but greater public awareness is still needed,” Rajendran said, as reported by InfoSAWIT from New Straits Times on Thursday (March 5, 2026).

The pilot project aims to reduce organic waste sent to landfills while raising awareness among traders and the public about waste separation at the source.

In addition to Bayan Putra, MBPP has placed waste separation bins at several strategic locations, including Masjid Umar Ibnu Al-Khattab in Bayan Baru, Balik Pulau, Prangin Mall, and Jalan Mahkamah in Bayan Lepas.

The city government plans to expand the use of food waste processing machines and waste separation systems to more locations next year.

Rajendran noted that Ramadan bazaars remain an important economic driver for local communities.

This year, MBPP approved 1,481 stalls, which are expected to generate around RM75 million in economic value and create about 5,000 jobs.

To keep food prices affordable, MBPP has maintained relatively low licensing and waste management fees of about RM3 per day per stall. (T2)