SELAMA, Oct 23 — The Perak Department of Environment (DOE) collected 213.6 tonnes of electric and electronic waste (e-waste) during its campaign this year.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad said the total recorded was an increase of 485 per cent compared to the 44 tonnes collected under the same campaign last year.

"This success is the result of the involvement and commitment of 15 local authorities and 25 companies that joined the campaign consistently, with the support of three licensed collection contractors in the state.

"In fact, the involvement of the industrial sector in the campaign this year also increased threefold compared to the eight companies that took part in 2020,” he said during a media conference after officiating the 2021 state-level National Environment Day celebration at Dewan Majlis Selama here today.

Over 500 participants from state government agencies, local authorities, industry players and local communities attended the celebration that was jointly organised by Perak DOE and the state Economic Planning Unit.

He said the campaign that began in 2019 was aimed at providing comprehensive information about the implementation of safe e-waste disposal besides increasing public awareness about the importance of protecting the environment.

"Through the campaign, the public can also gain proper knowledge because e-waste is toxic and is a potential health hazard that is detrimental to the environment,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the celebration would become a platform that helps nurture cooperation between government agencies and stakeholders in efforts to preserve the environment in line with the state’s aspiration of making its Perak Bumi Lestari agenda a success. — Bernama