Since 2018, Pamarai, a Malaysian pioneer in sustainable waste management, has been making strides in the fight against the global waste crisis with its effective, practical and action-advancing solution, The Asher. With every tonne of municipal solid waste diverted from landfills and incineration plants, The Asher has the potential to save the world from 0.5 to 1.7 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Taking the term ‘powered by nature’ to new heights, The Asher harnesses the power of the sun to turn solid waste — including organics, non-organics and various types of plastic — into non-harmful, reusable ash. With a thermal degradation process, The Asher eliminates the need for fossil fuels or external energy in the fight to clean up the 400 million tonnes of plastic waste generated every year.
The Asher allows for treatment-at-source in various locations such as residential communities, remote areas, factories, hotels, islands, universities, hospitals, mines, shopping malls, or any large premises. With a potential of achieving up to 90% landfill diversions, The Asher reduces long-term environmental impact on soil, rivers and the oceans. Additionally, the non-harmful ash from The Asher can be repurposed as a natural substance in fertilisers, soil conditioners, and construction fillers.
“When we begin to treat our waste at source, not only do we begin taking meaningful actions to stop polluting Mother Nature, but we also begin to take ownership and responsibility for our own consumption and discards. We begin to reduce and stop waste from being accumulated, transported, and eventually ending up in either landfills, rivers or the oceans. The Asher is the technology that can enable and empower individuals, communities, authorities, and large corporations to start doing what is right for Mother Nature. The approach of treatment-at-source using Asher is effective, responsible and practical. By using the Asher, we are able to conserve valuable energy resources, protect and preserve precious land, and putting climate change actions into motion,” shares Pang Swee Lei, Co-founder and Executive Director of Pamarai.
Only as large as a typical car parking spot, The Asher is an industry-grade equipment that is capable of treating up to 240kg of waste per hour depending on material type, bulk density, moisture content, and mode of operation. With the option of an integrated solar power system that is capable to power the Asher’s continuous operations, the Asher is entirely self-sustaining, zero energy, thus eliminating the need for external accelerants such as diesel, gas, or petrol.
The Asher is also designed to be adept at meeting the varied applications and business needs of corporations looking to adopt sustainable practices. Available in six different variants, The Asher is easily deployable across different terrains, localities, and climates. Additionally, its yearly OPEX (operational expenditure) is only between 10 – 30% of that of conventional waste treatment, presenting a highly cost-effective and practical solution for companies or government authorities looking to reduce their plastic footprint at scale.
“Pamarai envisions The Asher as a definitive remedy to the catastrophic impact of waste on our world, particularly because it is simple enough to be operated anywhere and by anyone. Doing away with barriers to green-enabling technology, we want to empower organisations to easily invest in the future of a cleaner, greener planet — and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront of this revolution that could shape our quality of life for generations to come,” adds Datuk Mohamed Razeek, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Pamarai.
Since inception, more than 80 units of Ashers have been delivered, deployed, and commissioned in over 10 countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, India, China, and South Africa. The Asher is made in Malaysia and has met the standards and methods of various environmental agencies worldwide, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).
Furthermore, The Asher is committed to contributing towards a sustainable future by promoting responsible waste management practices that align with five United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include making cities and communities more sustainable and resilient (SDG11), promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG12), combating climate change (SDG13), conserving marine life and resources (SDG14), and protecting terrestrial ecosystems (SDG15).
