Over 86,000 metric tonnes of garbage removed from Klang River since 2016

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad says the amount of garbage removed from the Klang River since 2016 annually continues to decline while the water quality of the river has slowly improved.

He said the water quality was previously in Class Four and Five, but has improved to Class Two and even reached Class One during the rainy season. Odour issues have been less frequent as well, he added.

"Two river-cleaning machines dubbed the Interceptors have been used since 2019 and they have been very instrumental in collecting rubbish, including plastic waste, and shows how the state government, Menteri Besar Incorporated and Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) have achieved success," he told reporters after visiting Mangrove Point recreational park at Port Klang yesterday.

He had earlier witnessed a signing of a collaboration between LLSB and the United Nations for Malaysia and Brunei network.

LLSB said in a statement that under the Selangor Maritime Gateway, 86,021 metric tonnes of floating rubbish, the equivalent of 470 Boeing 747 aircraft, had been removed from the Klang River.

"The reduction of annual rubbish by 63% between 2016 and 2022 far exceeded the Phase 1 key performance indicators set at 40%.

"Last year, the project saw 6,117 metric tonnes of trash removed monthly compared to a baseline in 2016 of 16,408 metric tonnes a month," the company said.