Eco-friendly bacteria

Friday December 19, 2008

THE Penang Government have been using effective micro-organisms (EM) more commonly known as ‘friendly bacteria’ to overcome foul smells in animal farms since August.

State Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said this was the part of its move to rid the state of the Darul Sampah (rubbish haven) tag.

He said EM had been widely used in Japan since the early 1990s and had proven to be successful.

Chow said a task force called Penang Government Initiative for Environmental Management (PGI-EM) had been set up to oversee the usage of EM in the state.

“The successful application of EM in animal farms with the assistance of the Veterinary Services Department has spurred the state to continue promoting EM technology,” he said before launching the PGI-EM inaugural environmental campaign at Hunza Sales Gallery in Penang yester-day.

He urged the people, corporations and non-governmental organisations to join the state government in raising the state’s cleanliness level by participating in programmes initiated by PGI-EM.

PGI-EM committee member Soo Lee Choo, who was responsible for bringing in the technology, said EM broke down harmful micro-organisms and certain toxins that emited foul odour.

He said the environment-friendly substance was suitable for farms and oxidation ponds and could be used to treat water and rehabilitate rivers.

“It can be applied through various means including spraying and diluting it in water. It can be turned into mud balls which are then dropped into foul-smelling rivers.

“The foul smell will be greatly reduced in three days. There will be more aquatic life in the rivers in three months,” he said.

At the launching, Hunza Pro-perties Bhd and International Real Estate Federation Penang branch adopted Sungai Kelian in Batu Ferringhi under its sustainable environmental project.

Chow said Golden Sands Resort had also expressed their interest to help clean up Sungai Mas next to the resort, using EM techno-logy.

“We have also carried out environment improvement programme at animal farms.

“We have drawn up a reha- bilitation plan for Sungai Dondang in Paya Terubong. We will start with cleaning up rivers with community participation before moving on to more problematic areas,” he said.

Johor promotes EM to help save the state's environment

Friday November 14, 2008

JOHOR BARU: It is high time for Johoreans to use Effective Microorganism (EM) Tech­nology in their everyday lives, said Local Government, Housing, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Zahri Jamil.

He said the practice helped lessen water pollution and preserved the state’s environment.

“EM technology is suitable for use in modern society.

Environsfriendly: Students pouring effective microorganisms into Stulang River in Johor Baru recently. Looking on is Mohd Naim.

“It should be used to prevent humans from depending too much on products such as pesticide, cleaning agents and fertiliser made from non-environment-friendly chemicals,” he said.

Ahmad Zahri was speaking at the launch of the Effective Microorganism Technology Application Awareness Programme in Sekolah Menengah Taman Pelangi (SMKT) here recently.

He said that people could cut costs by picking up on biotechnology, and cited examples of people producing fertiliser from decomposing items.

Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) mayor Datuk Mohd Naim Nasir, who was present at the launch, said that MBJB encouraged wider public use of EM.

“The council is working towards introducing EM to communities, educational institutions and the industrial and the service sectors,” he said.

On the same day, a programme was launched to clean and treat the Sungai Stulang beach near the school.

SMKT was chosen in a pilot by MBJB to implement the use of EM at schools in the city council’s zone.

A total of 500 students participated in the programme which started this month.

The programme aims to create aware­ness on EM and involve more schools in using it to produce fertiliser and cleaning agents.

EM joins bandwagon in caring for environs

Wednesday December 3, 2008

JOHOR BARU: The use of Effective Microorganism (EM) technology is producing positive results for the environment at minimal cost.

Many residents are using the technology introduced by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) and more are taking interest due to the encouraging outcome.

Mayor Datuk Mohd Naim Nasir said he was proud the EM programme had created optimism in various parties, especially community associations.


Better method: Mohd Naim (left) and Wong (second from left) pouring EM into the Taman Seri Austin oxidation pond during the programme’s launch in Johor Baru recently.

“Not only are community associations embracing it, some non-profit organisations and private companies are active in it as well.

“I am confident, in the long run, the programme will lessen our dependence on our limited natural resources and prevent pollution,” he said at the launch of the EM Technology Application Programme in Taman Seri Austin here recently.

Mohd Naim stressed that more parties, especially the private sector, should work with the city council to instil the use of EM technology.

During the launch, Mohd Naim and 20 employees of Austin Heights developer, Dynasty View, poured EM into an oxidation pond.

“It is to treat the waste and lessen the odour permeating from the sewage plant,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dynasty View general manager Wong Kuen Kong said his company was attracted to EM as it was effective in maintaining cleanliness.

“As a housing developer, it is our responsibility to take care for the environment and not just push the burden onto the city council.

“Our company will initially use EM as an alternative material in treating waste plants and later broaden its use in the whole Seri Austin housing area,” he said.

Wong said his company would use EM to produce fertiliser from solid domestic waste.

“We are hopping on the EM bandwagon because of the city council’s informative briefings on its advantages,” he said.

The city council has used EM at 14 waste treatment plants in its zones and produced positive effects such as clearer water and a decrease in odour.

环保酵素成效佳 议员皆大力推崇

二零零八年十二月二十一日 晚上七时三十四分

(槟城21日讯)由民间推动的环保酵素引起人民代议士的赞好，除了丹绒武雅州议员郑雨周先拔头筹在选区内推动，垄尾区州议员杨顺兴也成为最新生力军大力推崇，并建议于明年向槟岛市政局建议，地方政府也共同来推动。

也是市议员的杨顺兴律师即在出席槟城生活艺术协会周日于亚依淡侨南华小旁的双溪弄浪河倾倒垃圾酵素的仪式上如是建议，活动的主题是从“垃圾到环保酵素，从厨余到拯救全球”。当天共倾倒150公升的环保酵素进入双溪弄浪河。

他说，八打灵再也市议会更在人民缴付门牌税时送上一罐的环保酵素。所以他说本身将在明年向市主议会上介绍环保酵素的功用，由政府来推动。

他同时也欢迎任何以低成本方式来清洁河流的方法，比如他即将环保酵素与目前由日本引进的浓缩液相比，后者每瓶(1公升)20令吉，据他了解也可以清洁河流。

郑雨周：环保酵素安全

丹绒武雅区州议员郑雨周指出，环保酵素由泰国乐素昆(Dr Rosukon)博士30年研究而成，可非常安全的全面推广。

反之他表示，以“有效生物群”(EM)的方式来治理河流则需要详加研究后才适宜推广。

他说，环保酵素与有效微生物群有很大的不同，其中在人类历史中已懂得制作酵素，而有效生物群以微生物来净化河流，它是从菌类中抽取80种的良菌进行培养。相比下，前者环保酵素包含很多荷尔蒙、矿物质以及维他命，对环境不会有任何的负面影响，可是若良菌在大环境中处理不当，可能会带来负面的影响。

出席仪式者尚包括垄尾区乡委会主席钟亚兴、委员李受廷、韩荣强、蔡亚高、曾东山、庄杨玲、槟城生活艺术协会成员等。

环保酵素种植用途佳

来自高渊的果农连木海是在10年前开始务农，并在两年前开始放弃化肥及农药，采用环保酵素，如今其种植的龙珠果每株竟可结出平均40多粒的果实。

连木海即在周日于侨南小学的环保酵素倾倒双溪弄浪河的环保展上，如是向本报记者表示，他指出，他说，在使用环保酵素后已完全放弃使用农药或化肥，其龙珠果甚至每株可开出50多粒，反之一般的龙珠果只开出10粒左右。

他说，其结出的龙珠果很结实，耐存。他说，环保酵素所释放的臭氧能化解空气中的二氧化碳，转化成土地的施肥。

Worm Fertilizer

News from NST:

Worm fertiliser project to boost agriculture yields in ECER

Worm farming for fertilizer projects to boost agriculture yields is being pioneered in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), starting with the Pahang Farmers Organisation Authority.

Some 1,000 farmers from the Kuantan Farmers Association will be involved with the initial project, ECER said in a statement today.

In addition to increasing yield and enhancing soil quality, ECER said the use of worm fertilizers reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and help growers tap into the growing demand for organic food.

Worms are also a green solution to food waste as they are efficient digesting machines that eat over half their body weight in organic matter daily, leaving behind nutrient rich worm castings (poop) which are completely natural at low cost.

According to ECER, apart from quality yield, worm fertilizer produced by earthworms will increase soil aggregate stability, aeration and reduce erosion.

Its broad base of nutrients adds beneficial organisms, nutrients and minerals sustain healthy plant life and stimulate growth, it added.

Aiza Agro Sdn Bhd, a company breeding and selling worm fertilizers in Pahang, said it has seen more fruit and vegetable farmers making a switch due to worm fertilizers’ potency and lower procurement costs.

“Worm fertilizers cost less than chemical fertilizers as the growers only need a third of the normal amount of chemical fertilizers. Farmers also need to apply fertilizers less frequently,” Aiza Agro managing director Zamsulidayat Ismail said.

He said worm fertilizers cost less at an average of RM3,500 per tonne compared to chemical fertilizers at RM4,000 per tonne, adding that less water is required and plants become more disease-resistant.

Zamsulidayat said the company is planning to open worm farms in Terengganu before year-end.

It has started three worm farms in Kuantan as demand for worm fertilizers is growing and more farmers in East Coast venture into organic farming.

大马兽医局总监：国民每天吃掉130万只鸡

（双溪大年22日讯）国民每天吃掉130万只肉鸡!

大马兽医局总监拿督阿都阿兹医生指出，根据该局的统计调查显示，大马人民对肉鸡的需求殷切，国内饲养场每天必须提供足够的肉鸡以应付市场需求，他是于周一下午视察锡区饲养牛羊场计划后，对传媒这么表示。

他说，国内9座肉鸡饲养场，平均每年生产出5亿5千100万只的肉鸡，以确保可以应付国民的需求；直目前为止，柔佛及霹雳继续成为国内最主要的肉鸡生产州，在生产鸡蛋方面，柔霹2州也占据了国家80％生产量。

“大马目前拥有58座生产鸡蛋中心，其中5座中心可以在每天生产出100万粒鸡蛋。”

与此同时，他促请羊牛饲养者能够申请加入新成立的禽业公会，以便政府可以维护到他们的权力；他说，目前已有3000人申请加入该会，其中包括退休军人及警员等。

阿兹也提及政府今年分别从澳洲及印度引进了12万公吨冻牛肉及4万公吨新鲜牛肉。