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Basic Perceptions of Integrated Waste Management Concepts in Majlis Perbandaran Malaysia

1Wan Ramlee, 2Ahmad Sairi, 3Azami Zaharim, and 4Kamaruzzaman Sopian

1Environmental Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia, 40450 , , Malaysia 2Engineering Department, Kajang Municipal Council, Menara MPKj, Jalan Cempaka Putih, Off Jalan , 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia 3Center for Engineering Education Research, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia 4Solar Energy Research Institute, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract- Planning and engineering for an integrated waste treatment facilities, coverage areas of solid waste management management facilities requires some form of public participation. facilities, the solid waste management schemes to supply The study aims to asses some of the basic concepts in an integrated controlled solid waste to the solid waste management facilities waste management by the public which could assist planners and and the time-scale for the implementation of the plans. When engineers to locate, build and programme the facilities such that it preparing their waste management strategies, Local could achieve the objectives for a sustainable waste management. Respondents were sampled to provide the perceptions and Authorities have three basic questions to take into understanding of basic waste management concepts. Respondent consideration (John, 1995); what is the environmental effect?, have mixed understanding of the basic waste terms and definitions. are there any interruptions and changes to the services The results also indicate that respondents need more exposure on the provided?, and how serious is the financial implication? The types of waste management facilities associated in an integrated strategy being implemented by the Authority must include the waste management system. The newspapers and television were provision of an appropriate and an effective waste collection identifies as important tools in decimating the information on waste management issues. The common perception of waste is more of services. It also tries to identify an effective and most those associated to the pollution it caused rather than on the issues of economical transportation system to the disposal dispersal. facilities. The most important part of this strategy is that the service is environmentally safe and running at a reasonable low-cost for Keywords- waste perceptions, waste acceptance, waste facilities, the waste disposal system over the long-term (DOE,1991). disposal, IWM, MSW Despite all the comprehensives remedial plans in combating an increment in the production of waste, many local I. INTRODUCTION authorities are still facing the major issue of finding and UBLIC participation is an important element of an adopting environmentally sound disposal means for waste. Pintegrated waste management system (Metin et. al., 2003). The main concerns for many local authorities is waste Since the 8th Malaysia Plan, the Government has given originated from the municipalities, hospitals and clinics and in specific emphasis on sustainable environmental development particular the industrial hazardous wastes from industries. The and solid waste management. The urgent need of an integrated amount of these wastes generated has extremely grown solid waste management system implaced in the country annually over the past decades and improper disposal manner begins with the process of privatisation of the Local may result in numerous and serious environmental problems. Authorities waste management function to private companies begin in 1995. It was then followed by the establishment of II. METHODOLOGY the National Solid Waste Management Department (JPSPN) This paper analyses the perception of basic information and under the Solid Waste and Cleansing Management Act 2007 the understanding of the public on the concept of an integrated (Act 672). This Act gives the executive authority to the waste management which is adopted in local authorities. The Federal Government to carry out the responsibilities on the much needed understanding by the public on simple concepts management of solid waste and public cleansing. The Act and perception of an integrated waste management is leads to minor amendment to the Street, Drainage and important for planners and engineers in determining the types Building Act 1974, the Local Government Act 1976 and the of waste management facilities and process required. Public Town and Country Planning Act 1976. One of the main participation is an important element in achieving an efficient function of this department is to formulate plans for solid waste management (Metin et. al., 2003, Jin J., et. al., 2006)) waste management including location, type and size of new

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A total of 654 respondents were interviewed using the systematic and cluster random sampling based on twelfth components. The study area of Majlis Perbandaran Kajang is located in the state of Selangor, Malaysia with a total area of 78.761 hectares and the population reported in 2007 is 653,793 and is estimated to increase to 872,354 in the year 2020 with the rate of increase of 2.2% per year.

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The number of respondent participated in the interview composed of 354 (54.1%) male and 300 (45.9%) were females (Fig 1).

Fig. 3 : Understanding of waste types

Almost half of the respondents (50.1%) were unable to identify the concept of institutional waste. Fairly more than half (>60%) understand the concept for toxic hazardous, household, office and yard waste. About two-third (68.2%) clearly identify the meaning of mixed waste from industry and Fig. 1 Respondent by gender construction. Level of awareness by the public on waste definition is important for planners and waste manager (Jin, j The major race of the respondent is Malay (78%) and other et. al., 2006) races participated are as shown in Fig.2. Fig 4 shows the understanding of various integrated waste management facilities commonly planned for an integrated waste management system; i. material recovery, i. pre- treatment of waste for thermal treatment, iii. biological treatment of organic waste, iv. final treatment of waste- thermal method, v. final treatment of waste residue-landfill.

Fig. 2: Respondent by race

Fig. 3 showed that majority of the respondents have heard and understand the various types and waste concepts and terms used in an integrated waste management; i. mixed household waste, ii. mixed commercial waste, iii. mixed office, iv. yard waste, v. mixed institutional waste, vi. mixed waste from industry/construction and vii toxic hazardous waste.

Fig. 4: Understanding of waste facilities

It was shown that most of the respondents (<40%) have less knowledge on the various types of waste facilities associated with an integrated waste management system. The material recovery facility is identified by most of the respondents (40.4%) but only few had identified thermal waste treatment

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facilities such as incinerator as important facilities for Fig. 6 shows the respondent choice of what does solid waste disposal. Chung and Poon, 1999 found a similar trend where mean or is associated with based their understand and the public needs motivation and intervention by the authorities perceptions; i. solid waste is about garbage, ii. solid waste is in participating the material recovery programmes. about sewage waste, iii. solid waste is about landfill, iv. solid waste is about bad smell, v. solid waste is about animal waste, Fig. 5 shows the sources which guide and provide them vi, solid waste is about rats, vii. solid waste is about flies, viii. with information on waste related issues. The sources solid waste is about sludge, ix. solid waste can be considered surveyed are; i. newspaper, ii. television, iii. radio, iv. as a source of air pollution in Kajang Local Authority (MPKJ), magazines or bulletins, v. internet and vi. books. x. solid waste can be considered as a source of water pollution in Kajang Local Authority (MPKJ), xi. solid waste can be considered as a source of soil pollution in Kajang Local Authority (MPKJ).

The results showed that waste is perceived most as associated to garbage (88.7%), sewerage (62.2%), bad smell (71.4%) and flies (53.7%). It is also strongly thought to be the caused of air, water and soil pollution problems in the MPKJ. Almost half of the respondents indicate that it is associated to landfills (50.3%), sludge (50.3%) and rats’ problems (45.9%). The intensity of the odor from waste facilities could help legislator to establish minimum separation distances between the landfill sites and zones of potential complaints (Sarkar and Hobbs, 2002, Vidanaarachhi, et. al., 2006). The basis for a proper control and treatment of waste should begin with an adequate system that could minimize the impart on the ecosystem and population (Ojeda-Benitez.et. al, 2003). Fig.5: Source of information.

IV. CONCLUSION The newspaper was selected as the main source of waste information (74%) whereas the television and internet were Integrated solid waste management is a modern and rational the other two main medium besides the magazines that approach for planning and implementing solid waste program provides information and understanding of waste issues. The in Local authorities. Several different types of opinion surveys influence of the radio and the books is very satisfactory. These and public awareness measurement methods can be employed findings are similar to a study by J, Jin et. al., 2003. to assess the level of public concern in waste management issues. The outcomes of this study hope to provide fundamental data and information for future planning and policies. The data also provide the basis for further studies on public perception and acceptance on the development of waste facilities that could meet the objective of sustainable waste management through an effective integrated waste management system.

REFERENCES [1] Chung, S.S. and Poon, C, 1999. The attitudes of Guangzhou citizens on waste reduction and environmental issues. Resources, conservation and Recycling 25, 35-59. [2] DOE (Department of the Environment.) 1991. Environmental Assessment Sourcebook. Volume II: Sectoral Guidelines. World Bank Technical Paper Number 140. Washington, D.C. [3] http://www.kpkt.gov.my/jpspn_en/main.php [4] Jaijun Jin, , Zhshi Wang and Shenghong Ran, 2006. Solid waste management in Macao: Practices and challenges. Waste Management 26, 1045-1051. [5] John, L. 1995. The Role of The Waste Disposal Authority. Towards A Waste Management Strategy. Paper presented at the Fourth Annual Conference On Incineration, 8 - 9 February 1995, Hotel Piccadilly, Manchester. Fig. 6: First perception of what waste mean [6] Metin, E., Erozutrk A. and Neyim C, 2003. Solid waste management practices and review of recovery and recycling operations in Turkey. Waste Management 23, 425 -432.

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[7] Ojeda-Benitez S. ,Ramirez-Barreto Ma E., and Armijo de Vega C., 2003. Characterization and quantification of household solid wastes in a Mexican City. Resources, concervation and Recycling 39, 211-222. [8] Sarkar Ujjaini and Hobbs, S.E, 2002. Odour from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills: A Study on the analysis of perception. Environment International 27, 655-662. [9] Vidanaarachchi, C.K., Samuel , T.S. Yuen and Pilapitiya, S., 2006. Municipal solid waste manaement in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka: Problems, issues and challenges. Waste Management 26, 920- 930.

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