KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 27): McDonald's Malaysia has entered into a fats, oil, and grease (FOG) desludging services agreement with national sewerage company, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) Sdn Bhd held at McDonald's Pantai Sentral Park DT on Thursday.

Under this agreement, IWK will provide desludging services for the grease traps at nearly 300 McDonald's locations across the country.

IWK will provide regular desludging services to manage FOG accumulation in grease traps to prevent blockages and minimise plumbing issues, improving the overall performance of kitchen drainage systems.

This initiative aligns with McDonald's Malaysia’s broader sustainability efforts to reduce environmental impact and comply with local environmental regulations.

In addition to enhancing operational efficiency, this initiative promotes a circular economy by facilitating the repurposing of collected grease for potential biodiesel and biogas production.

“Through our collaboration with IWK, we are taking proactive steps to prevent water pollution, reduce waste, and contribute to Malaysia’s sustainability goals. This partnership reflects McDonald's Malaysia’s continued commitment to responsible waste management, benefitting both our customers and the environment,” says Datuk Azmir Jaafar, managing director of McDonald's Malaysia.

Narendran Maniam, CEO of IWK, echoed similar sentiments during the signing.

“Proper grease trap maintenance is crucial in preventing FOG from entering sewerage systems, reducing blockages, and mitigating environmental harm. Through this collaboration, we ensure responsible waste management, contributing to cleaner water sources and a healthier environment that aligns with IWK’s mission for sustainable wastewater management,” says Narendran.

This partnership presents as another milestone for McDonald’s Malaysia and complements its ongoing sustainability initiatives. This includes the adoption of green restaurant designs, the installation of solar photovoltaic systems in collaboration with Tenaga Nasional Bhd, the introduction of electric vehicle chargers at selected outlets and waste reduction programmes.