First Policy Forum on UEM in Southeast

Asia

Current Policies & Practices on Solid Waste

Management in Malaysia

THE PENANG ISLAND MUNICIPAL

COUNCIL EXPERIENCE
Dr Goh Kok Yeong
18 Aug 2005 AIT, Bangkok

LOCATION IN ASIA PACIFIC

Malaysia

PENANG
ISLAND

MUNICIPAL
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
COUNCIL OF
OF PENANG
PENANG ISLAND,
ISLAND,
MALAYSIA
MALAYSIA

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Introduction to Government Set-up

„ Federal

„ State government

„ Local authority

MALAYSIAN LEGISLATION

„ Currently, NO Federal or State Legislation deals

directly and specifically on solid waste management.
„ The Local Government Act 1976 and the Street
Drainage and Building Act 1974 ( to a limited extent)
are presently being used to govern the solid waste
management nationwide.
„ By-laws such as the Refuse Collection, Removal and
Disposal have been made by some of the Local
Authorities under the Local Government Act to
regulate the solid waste management and services.

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MALAYSIAN LEGISLATION (cont’d)

Presently, management of solid waste services is being handled by
3 levels of Governments:

1. Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHLG) handles all

matters related to solid waste management funding and policy
development.
2. State Government plays a coordinating role with focus on policy
and financial matters pertaining to Local Authorities functions.
3. Local Authorities are the implementing agencies and have direct
responsibilities over the solid waste collection, treatment and
disposal services. These services are provided either directly by
the respective Local Authorities or sub-contracted to private
companies.

The Government through MHLG is in the process of formulating

and finalising the Solid Waste Management Bill to be submitted
and passed by the parliament.

LEGAL PROVISIONS FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT

„ Powers for waste management is shared

between Federal and State Goverments
„ Constitutional Provisions
a. Federal List – trade, commerce and industry,
including industries and industrial undertakings,
dangerous trade, dangerous and inflammable
substances.
b. State List – Local Government including local
government services, obnoxious trades and
public nuisances within local authorities.

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LEGAL PROVISIONS FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT

c. Concurrent List- public health, sanitation

and the prevention of diseases.
„ Since enactment of EQA 1974, scheduled
waste is within Department of Environment (a
federal Agency), while municipal solid waste is
under local authorities.
„ Unclear if household scheduled wastes are
regulated under EQA.
„ Proposed municipal solid waste also to be
taken over by Federal Govt with new law
relating to solid waste management.

WASTE DEFINITION &

DIFFERENTIATION Scheduled Waste
Solid Waste (MSW) „ Classifiedas hazardous
„ Any other waste not based on its characteristics.
classified as Scheduled „ Four basic characteristics.

Waste. ‰ Ignitable
„ Categorised as follows. ‰ Corrosive
‰ Waste generated from ‰ Reactive
daily household activities. ‰ Toxic
‰ Garden waste
‰ Bulk waste
‰ Industrial, commercial
and institutional (ICI)
waste.

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NATIONAL POLICIES

„ The Federal Government intended to privatise

the solid waste management in the Peninsular
Malaysia (western part the country) under the
national privatization programme.
„ Under the proposed act, Peninsular Malaysia is
divided into 3 zones. The Northern, The Central
and Southern Zones. (Central and Southern
Zones are in the interim take over by the private
concessionaires.)

Penang: Sectoral Share of Gross Domestic Product (%)

Area: 299.65 sq km Population: 660,000

Penang: Sectoral Share of Gross Regional Product (%)

Sector 2003 2004 (estimated) 2005 (Forecast)
Agriculture, Forestry 1.6 1.5 1.5
& Fishing
Mining & Quarrying 1.0 0.9 0.9

Manufacturing 41.3 42.5 42.9

Construction 2.1 1.7 1.7
Tertiary 54.0 53.4 53.0
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0

Source: SERI
The main contributors to Penang’s GDP are the manufacturing sector (41.6%) and
the tertiary sector (53.7%). These figures indicate the presence of many multinational
companies as well as small and medium industries in Penang. Penang’s tertiary
sector comprises mainly of services, which cater for the tourism sector.

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THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF PENANG

ISLAND

PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

MANAGEMENT LEGAL DEPT DEV. & PLANNING DEPT BUILDING DEPT

SERVICES

ENGINEERING DEPT VALUATION DEPT TREASURY INTERNAL AUDIT

UNIT
URBAN SERVICES,
COMMUNITY
SERVICES PUB. HEALTH BUMIPUTRA
LICENSING, DEVELOPMENT UNIT
DEPARTMENT

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The municipal waste collected are categorized

into 5 different types currently:
1. Domestic Waste
2. Industrial Waste (non scheduled)
3. Bulk Waste
4. Sea Waste
5. River Waste – effective in 2004
Domestic Waste – Vehicles used are compactors and RoRo.

Industrial Waste – Vehicles used are RoRo

Bulk Waste – Vehicles used are High Side Tippers and Side
Loaders

Sea & River Waste – Vehicles used RoRo and Tippers

THE COLLECTION (2004)

Generation: 655 tons of municipal waste a day

(excluding 428 tons of construction
& demolition waste a day)

Services Provided: Collection, Transfer,

Disposal at Landfill

Area Covered: 95% of Island

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WASTE COMPOSITION OF MSW OF

MAJLIS PERBANDARAN PULAU PINANG (2003)
COMPOSITION AVERAGE

Food Waste 42.94

Paper 18.40
Plastic 15.85

Diapers 5.84
Textile 2.43
Rubber 1.38
Wood 1.03
Yard 4.49
Glass 2.95
Aluminum 0.39
Metal 1.63
Other Incombustible 2.65

Source: Satang Environmental Sdn. Bhd.

Solid Waste Management In Penang

•Penang Island Municipal Council practices “A

People Friendly Council” approach.

•Since 1995 to the end of 2004 the Council supplied

59,692 units of free 80 liter HDPE bins to all landed
residential property premises.

• Assessment charge is levied on ratepayers.

• No separate collection fee charged to the public.

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•Collection outsourced since the early 80’s.

•Initially covering only the city of
Georgetown.
•Coverage by private contractors expanded
over the years. Now 4 contractors
appointed to cover 80% of the Island since
1993.
•Remainder 20% is served by the Penang
Municipal Council.

THE LANDFILLS
The 2 landfills are :

•Jelutong Landfill - situated in the outskirts of Georgetown

City, Penang Island (for construction waste)

•Pulau Burung Sanitary Landfill - situated in the mainland

Seberang Perai (for municipal waste)

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GARBAGE ARE TAKEN BY BARGE VIA SEA 22 NAUTICAL

MILES FROM THE TRANSFER STATION AT BATU MAUNG
TO PULAU BURONG

Collection and Disposal System Employed

Collection Transfer Station Barging

Trucking Towing By Tug Boat

Pulau Burung Landfill

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THE TRANSFER STATION

Transfer station located at Batu Maung, Southeast of the Island.

In August 2001, Council had instructed all municipal waste to be

disposed at the Batu Maung Transfer Station.

Opens daily from 6.30 am to 10.00 pm.

On festive seasons, the Transfer Station will operate 24 hours.

Occupies an area of 1.295 hectares inclusive of ingress and egress

of vehicles, a weighbridge, an office, lorries parking bays and a
jetty.

Reduction
Most
Desirable
Recyle & Reuse

Treatment/Recover

Less Landfill
Desirable

Waste Hierarchy

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Recycling in Penang

Recycling Programme In Malaysia
The programme was launched in the
late 80’s with the caption “GUNA
SEMULA” which means REUSE. It
was later changed in the early 90’s to
“KITAR SEMULA” which means
RECYCLE.
In Penang, Malaysia –
• Programme was launched by the Chief
Minister of Penang in 1993 as a pilot
project in 2 housing areas.
• Programme started well but without a
proper PPPUE approach. The programme
is still surviving but hardly living.
The parties involved in the programme:
1. The residents of the housing area
2. A recycling vendor
3. Penang Municipal Council

Penang Municipal Council took a different approach.

NGOs involved and campaigned for more recycling T H E P AR T NE R S H I P
vendors to register with the Council. Started with
only 6 vendors, 4 from Penang itself and 2 from the
capital city, Kuala Lumpur.
Today 20 vendor are s involved in the Penang
Municipal Council recycling programme.
2 strong supporters from the NGOs are:
1. Socio Economic Environmental Research Institute
(SERI)
2. North East District Neigbourhood Watch (Rukun
Tetangga – RT)

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TH E H ELPIN G HA N DS
P E N A N G L O C A L G O V E R N M E N T C O N S U L TA T I V E F O R U M
(P L G C F )
P E N A N G E N V I R O N M E N T A L W O R K I N G G R O U P (P E W O G )
S O C I A L E N O N O M I C & E N VI R O N M E N TA L R E S E A R C H
I N S TI T U T E (S E R I )
N O R TH E A S T D I S TR I C T R U K U N TE TA N G G A
CO U NC IL W IT H T H E CO O PERA T IO N O F T H E A BO V E O RG A N IZA T IO N S
ST U D Y , REVIE W , RESEA RC H , D ESIG N A N D P LA N FO R A N Y
ENV IRO N M EN T A L T A SK FA CED .
T ASK:
1. RECY C LIN G
2. H A ZA RD O U S W AST E
3. CO M M UN IT Y CO M PO ST IN G
4. E-W A ST E

INTERNATIONAL AID &

PROGRAMMES

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UNDP – PPPUE PROGRAMME

UNITED NATION
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
UNDP CHOSED PENANG ISLAND FOR IPG
PROGRAMME AMONG MORE THAN 100 NATIONS
AROUND THE WORLD
4 COUNTRIES WERE CHOSEN IN SOUTH EAST ASIA
– MALAYSIA, LAOS, PHILIPPINES AND INDONESIA
A PROGRAMME KNOWN AS PUBLIC PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP FOR URBAN ENVIRONMENT (PPPUE)
– COMMUNITY RECYCLING AND WASTE
MANAGEMENT PROJECT WAS INTRODUCED
•TO BOOST UP PUBLIC & PRIVATE PARTICIPATION
•TO DEVELOP THE FEELING OF BELONGINGNESS
TOWARDS THE PROGRAMME
•TO PREVENT TOTAL DEPENDENCY ON
GOVERNMENT
•TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY
3 LOCATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED FOR THE
PROGRAMME

THE LOCATIONS
UNDP-PPPUE PROGRAMME
THE LOCATIONS ARE:
1. WELD QUAY - CHINESE COMMUNITY ON STILT HOUSES
2. KAMPONG SERONOK - MALAY COMMUNITY IN TYPICAL MALAY VILLAGE
3. TAMAN ALOR VISTA - MULTI RACIAL IN HIGH RISE DEVELOPMENT

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NATIONAL WASTE MINIMISATION

PROGRAMME

„ Project started in June 2005 by Ministry of Housing and Local

Government & JICA
„ 2 Components
‰‰ Setting
Settingup
upofofLocal
LocalRecycling
RecyclingNetworks
Networksand
andRecycling
Recycling
Network
NetworkUnit
UnitininLocal
LocalAuthority
Authority
‰‰ Pilot
PilotProject
ProjectFor
ForWaste
WasteSeparation
Separationat
atSource
Sourcefor
foraaresidential
area
residential area

Facing NEW CHALLENGE

1. Household Hazardous Waste
2. E-waste
Household Hazardous Waste –
7th June 2003 -The Council Launched It’s First Household Hazardous
Waste Collection With Sunshine Farlim Hypermarket
5th July 2003 – Another Launching With Gama Supermarket
20th August 2003 – Followed By Makro Hypermarket
Council Is Planning To Provide Further Collection Facilities At 5
Public Markets:
E-waste –
A) Tanjung Bungah Market
B) Pulau Tikus Market
The idea was mooted by the Chief Minister,
Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon through a K-ICT
C) Bayan Baru Market committee.
D) Balik Pulau Market Urban Services Department was given the
E) Anson Road Market task.
Appointed a group of consultant to carry out a
detail study on management and safe handling
of e-waste. The study will provide guidance on
handling of e-waste from collection to
disposal.
The programme was introduced due to the
increasing number of e-waste.
The increase is partly due to the influx of
cheap electronic appliances in the market.
The increasing number of Malaysian getting
into ICT.

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ISSUES & CHALLENGES

•80 % landfills nationwide expected to reach

full capacity in 2 years time

•Surging CAPEX & OPEX for solid waste

management vs. limited resources

•Promoting sustained community attitudinal

changes for greater participation in waste
minimisation & environmental management

Think globally,
Act locally

THINK BEFORE YOU THROW

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