Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Sarawak State of Malaysia and the Way Forward

Abstract

Aims/ Objectives: This study examines the current municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Sarawak and recommends measures for its improvement.Study Design: This study adopts a qualitative approach involving targeted in-depth interviews guided by a questionnaire.Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted among 18 local authorities (LAs) in the Sarawak state of Malaysia between January 2019 to June 2019.Methodology: This study is a qualitative survey conducted among 18 LAs in Sarawak, namely Kuching, Limbang, Marudi, Bau, Lundu, Betong, Dalat and Mukah, Kapit, Lubok Antu, Matu and Daru, Maradong and Julau, Serian, Sri Aman, Simunjan, Miri, Saratok, Subis and Lawas. Staff members in the public health section of the LAs were interviewed via phone calls and face-to-face mode. This represents a sampling size of approximately 64% which is deemed sufficient to providean adequate picture of the MSW management practice in Sarawak.Results: Smaller and remote LAs have lower MSW collection coverage than larger and more developed LAs. MSW is collected generally from 2 times a week to daily using compactors or trucks equipped with bin-lifters. Bins smaller than 240L are usually emptied manually. Waste collection is zoned in each LA and contracted to qualified contractors. Collected MSW is sent to dumpsites or landfills. Currently there are one level-4, two level-3 and three level-2 landfills in Sarawak. Organic waste particularly food residues form the bulk of MSW received at landfills. Waste segregation and recycling is not as widely practiced in Sarawak as the Peninsular Malaysia.Conclusion: The study shows that MSW management in Sarawak is equipped with the basic infrastructure but faces challenges in coverage due to the large area of the state. To improve MSW management, the recommendations comprise continuous road network development, decentralized administration of MSW management, composting, creation of ’recycling ecosystem’, education as well as research and development, backed by the state and federal governments’commitment and funding.