Klang: The Selangor state government plans to rehabilitate and redevelop the abandoned Telok Kapas landfill in Pasir Panjang, Klang, into a resource recovery area and high-value green asset. State Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim announced that the 80-acre site, part of the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) development corridor and closed since 2007, would be restored using circular economy principles and controlled inert waste management.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the project will involve a collaboration between KDEB Waste Management (KDEBWM) and Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) to explore sustainable and cost-effective methods for improving water quality and addressing leachate pollution affecting nearby rivers. Izham emphasized that conventional methods to remove solid waste from the site would be prohibitively expensive, costing an estimated RM200 million, thus necessitating innovative approaches.
The rehabilitation initiative, following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between KDEBWM managing director Datuk Ramli Mohd Tahir and LLSB managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin, targets the former landfill site owned by the Klang Royal City Council (MBDK), which houses approximately one million tonnes of solid waste at a depth of 15 metres.
The plan includes treating solid waste deposits and managing leachate to restore the environment and address long-term settlement issues such as slope stability. By employing biological, mechanical, and material recovery methods, the state government aims to increase the recyclable solid waste recovery rate to between 70 and 80 percent based on feasibility studies.
Izham indicated that if successful, the sustainable rehabilitation model could be expanded to other former landfills throughout Selangor. The redevelopment plan is structured to ensure that rehabilitation costs, leachate treatment, and long-term maintenance are commercially and financially viable.
This initiative aligns with Selangor's broader efforts to enhance recycling rates, resource efficiency, and low-carbon development. It also highlights the potential for transforming abandoned landfills into productive green assets for future generations. The MoU signing was witnessed by KDEBWM chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim, who is also the State Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman.