Abstract

Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) issues have become talk of the day worldwide because of the current and the future threats it has to both life and the environment. Malaysia, like other developing nations, has been facing serious problems in recent years in terms of MSW and its management due to the nation’s rapid economic growth. The objective of this paper is to review and present the current state of MSW and its management in Malaysia and to estimate the economic potentials of some recyclables as well. MSW generation in Malaysia has increased significantly in recent years, ranging between 0.5 - 2.5kg per capita per day (or a total of 25000 - 30000 tons per day). Generally, the waste contains high amount of organics, moisture content and bulk density. More than 70% of the generated wastes are collected using both curbside and communal centers with a collection frequency varying from daily to every two days. In addition, both compactor trucks and open lorry trucks are used. Landfilling is the main disposal method practiced; about 90 - 95% of the collected wastes is still disposed in landfills, with a recycling rate of 5 -10% despite the fact that 70 - 80% of the waste is recyclable. Estimation of the amount of recyclables and their revenue generation potential shows an impressive result. Recycling and composting of the municipal solid waste is therefore recommended.

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