Long-term Solution to Treat Pig Farm Waste

MALAYSIA - The Penang state government is not keen to stop the operation of 85 pig farms in Kampung Selamat.
calendar icon 18 July 2013
clock icon 3 minute read

According to NewStraitsTimes, State Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin said the state government has planned a long-term and sustainable solution - a centralised pig waste management - to be built in Parit Besar to resolve water quality issues affecting paddy farmers in the area.

He said the centralised waste management facility will treat waste from the pig farms before discharging it into Sungai Kereh.

He said, under the proposal, the water discharged will be categorised as Class 2 on the water quality index.

"This is acceptable for treated water for agricultural purposes.

"At present, the discharged water quality is Class 3 on the water quality index, using the Useful Microbe Active Solution (UMAS) to control the pollutants," he said after visiting the site of the proposed centralised pig waste management facility recently.

Dr Afif said proposed facility was important for both the pig farm operators and paddy farmers who depend on the water from Sungai Kereh.

"Some 500 paddy farmers tilling on some 351ha of paddy fields are dependent on Sungai Kereh for irrigation.

"We want both parties to carry out their livelihood with as little problems as possible," he said.

He was commenting on a proposal by Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who recently suggested that the pig farms be closed after Tasek Gelugor member of parliament Shabudin Yahaya raised concerns about the quality of the river water for paddy farmers in the area.

Dr Afif, however, said at present, the cost under UMAS has increased sharply by 800 per cent from RM10,000 when it was introduced in 2010.

He said the centralised waste management facility, estimated to cost about RM7 million, will help to reduce the cost of maintaining the quality of water in Sungai Kereh.

"This is our long-term solution to the problem. We believe the facility can keep the maintenance costs of the river water quality low."

He said the state government was also counting on Federal support to build the centralised waste management facility.

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