KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 21 — A total of six RORO (Roll On Roll Off) bins have been placed at the Covid-19 Low-Risk Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Chendering, here, to deal with a recent waste disposal issue.
State Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment Committee chairman Dr Alias Razak said the action was taken by hospital support services concessionaire Radicare (M) Sdn Bhd on Thursday.
“The piles of rubbish at PKRC are categorised as clinical waste and they cannot be managed or disposed of by the Local Authority (PBT) as usual.
“It is due to the current increase in the number of patients, and the existing facilities are not enough to manage the clinical waste. However, immediate action has been taken, and Radicare will send a container lorry to the PKRC to transport the clinical waste to Teluk Kalong, Kemaman as soon as possible,” he told reporters today.
The waste disposal issue went viral on social media over the past week and those placed at the PKRC have complained of the foul smell as well as the presence of flies.
Commenting further, Dr Alias said discussions over the issue were also held with the Terengganu State Health Department, Terengganu Department of Environment (DOE), DOE Putrajaya and Radicare on Tuesday (August 17).
“Radicare temporarily stores the clinical waste at its own facility in Teluk Kalong before it is sent to the clinical waste disposal centre in Teluk Panglima Garang, Selangor. Therefore, Radicare has sent an application to DOE Putrajaya along with an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) over the matter.
“The welfare of patients at the quarantine centre is the main priority and concern of all the relevant government departments and agencies. Hopefully, this problem will not occur at other PKRCs in the future,” he said. — Bernama