TWO JAPANESE EXPERTS TO ASSIST IN WASTE MANAGEMENT

SIBU (Malaysia), July 6 (Bernama) -- The Sibu Municipal Council is tackling
waste management in a more effective way, thanks to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Two Japanese experts on the renowned 'Takakura' method of composting are
assisting the council for a year, in the waste management programme.

All in all, Yousuke Mitoma and Hiroko Yanagida, of Kitakyushu City, will
make three trips for this purpose.

"Currently, the duo are assisting us with waste composting at the Rajang
Park market. Their next trip is in November when they will be accompanied by the
method founder, Koji Takakura.

"Next January, they will return for a similar purpose," council secretary
Hii Chang Kee told reporters here Tuesday.

The Rajang Park market which has 65 hawkers, is the second to implement the
'Takakura' method, after the bigger Sibu Central Market.

Hii said the hawkers had been told to deposit their vegetable and fruit
wastes in two orange-coloured garbage bins which would later be taken to its
composting centre at Seng Ling Road.

"The Takakura method will help us, not only to reduce the amount but to turn
the wastes into organic fertiliser, thus preserving the environment.

"The method is faster and takes about one to two weeks, as compared to the
traditional enzyme method which takes about three months," he said, adding that
this was more hygienic as the decaying process emitted less offensive odour and
did not release methane gas into the atmosphere.

Sibu is an inland town in the east Malaysian state of Sarawak.

-- BERNAMA