Property  owners in Seberang Prai, Penang, who want to renovate their premises are reminded to have specific garbage containers outside their housing and commercial units for their construction wastes.

Seberang Prai municipal councillor Soon Lip Chee said the rectangular-shaped bins, called Tong RoRo (Roll-on-Roll-off bins), measuring 3.6m-long, 2.1m-wide and 0.6m-tall, could be rented from private contractors.

“We have a list of private contractors that rent out these bins but property owners can also opt to find contractors of their choice to do the job.

“The ruling on the bins, which took effect since March last year, is aimed at controlling indiscriminate dumping of construction waste,” he said after inspecting a few houses under renovation off Jalan Raja Uda yesterday.

A private contractor, who declined to be named, said the bins could be rented at RM160 per week during which he would dispose off the waste material throughout the rental period.

Soon said high-rise unit owners were advised to get their respective management bodies to get the council’s consent to have the bins placed properly outside the compound.

“Those who fail to place Tong RoRo outside premises that are being renovated could be slapped with an initial fine of RM500.

“If they still fail to place the bins when the council officers make subsequent visits, they can be fined RM250 per visit,” he said.

Apart from the bin rental, he said property owners were required to pay a RM500 deposit for their renovation plan application as well as a RM250 deposit to clean up the premises after the renovations were completed. Both deposits are refundable.

Soon said applicants also had to pay another RM250 for a temporary permit to place construction materials within their premises as well as RM100 for a permit to dispose off their construction materials.

The payments for both permits are non-refundable.

Soon said the council received 90 applications to conduct renovations in north Seberang Prai from March 1 last year to Jan 31 this year while there were 82 and 37 applications respectively in central and south Seberang Prai.

He said of the total 209 applications, only an applicant’s deposit was forfeited for failing to clear construction debris from his premises.

Soon said all renovation work could be carried out from Monday till Saturday between 8am to 6pm, adding that the council disallowed such work to be done on Sunday and on public holidays.

He said those who came across construction waste dumped by the roadside, near open fields or near dumpsites, were advised to lodge reports with the council or call 04-5497555.

SOURCE: The Star