KDEB Waste Management’s Sweeping Relief

SELANGOR’S UNSUNG FLOOD HEROES

In the wake of natural disasters, the devastation left behind often goes far beyond the immediate aftermath. Rebuilding shattered communities and restoring a semblance of normalcy can be an arduous task, requiring the collaboration of numerous organisations and agencies. Among them, waste management companies play a crucial role in ensuring the efficient and safe disposal of debris, hazardous materials, and other waste generated during these catastrophic events. One leading force in this area is Selangor-state-owned enterprise – KDEB Waste Management (KDEBWM).

Not only is the organisation, the Selangor state’s premier waste management company, KDEBWM has also emerged as a beacon of hope for its unwavering commitment to disaster relief efforts. With a dedication to environmental preservation and public safety, the company has successfully tackled the immense challenges posed by natural disasters such as floods by providing invaluable assistance to affected communities.

Command Centre

The floods of 2021-2022 in Malaysia were especially brutal as they affected 60 districts in 11 states. Selangor was the worst-hit state, with a recorded loss of RM3.1 billion, and thousands of lives displaced from their homes. To effectively respond to this and future floods, KDEBWM established a ‘war room’ at its headquarters and branches. This command centre is activated during floods, facilitating efficient coordination and task management for all of KDEBWM’s personnel involved in post-flood cleaning operations.

With a tight chain of command, KDEBWM is able to effectively adjust its collection schedules to best fit the areas affected, with areas that are littered with hazardous waste and medical waste are given priority. By doing so, coupled with effective communication to the public on its adjustment plans, KDEBWM is able to better ensure the safety of the public.

Optimised Allocation

KDEBWM also identify areas which are more prone to flooding or areas that is more adversely affected. By doing so, KDEBWM is able to better organise and mobilise its many manpower and asset to give more attention to these hot spots by implementing early prevention measures such as drain cleaning. In October 2022, KDEBWM did just that at Shah Alam’s Taman Sri Muda, with as many as 60 personnel and 30 of its Armroll (roll-on-roll-off, popularly known as RORO) trucks, to prepare for the year’s monsoon season, as it is an area that is prone to flash floods. According to KDEBWM’s Managing Director, Dato’ Ramli Mohd Tahir, in the event of a flood, the company is ready to mobilise around 1,800 personnel and 500 of its RORO trucks. In addition to this, KDEBWM also augments its manpower by collaborating with local authorities, federal and state agencies, NGOs and volunteer organisations.

Well Equipped

Including 591 RORO trucks, KDEBWM has a total of eight different heavy machinery assets it utilises after a flood. These include 490 compactor

trucks, seven mini compactor trucks, six RORO trucks which are equipped with portable high-pressure water jets, one truck with a mounted high-pressure water jet, one catch basin cleaner, two road sweepers, as well as 13 4×4 pickup trucks. On top of this, KDEBWM also rented other heavy machinery such as backhoes and trailers to assist with its efforts.

These assets play a crucial in collecting debris, transporting waste materials, accessing hard-to-reach areas, clearing blockages and to maintain infrastructure during flood response and recovery operations. By ensuring the availability of these assets, KDEBWM is able to make significant and rapid contribution in the recovery of affected areas. KDEBWM’s readiness was well demonstrated during the floods of 2021-2022, where it was able to remove a total of 48.6 thousand tons of debris from affected areas in Selangor.

Going Beyond Selangor

KDEBWM’s efforts is not limited to Selangor alone. In March 2023, Johor was helped by the Selangor State Owned Company, to assist with the southern state’s flooding issue. KDEBWM dispatched five of its RORO trucks along with 20 of its crew to assist Johor in dealing with the post-flood cleaning process. “KDEBWM is no stranger to post-flood cleaning work following the cleaning work carried out in December 2021. Hopefully this cleaning work can ease the burden of the parties involved in this incident,” said Dato’ Ramli.

When it is all said and done, it is clear that with KDEBWM’s proactive involvement in mitigating these natural disasters, the citizens of Selangor can expect a well-equipped and effective response team, ready to clean up the mess whenever necessary.