Introduction

Solid wastes are the wastes arising from human activities and are normally solid as opposed
to liquid or gaseous and are discarded as useless or unwanted. It can be classified into three groups:
1) any materials if they are recycled or accumulated, stored, or treated before recycling, 2) being
used in a manner constituting disposal, burned for energy recovery, reclaimed, and accumulated
speculatively, and 3) a discarded material that is abandoned, recycled, and inherently waste-like.

With a population of over 32 million, Malaysia generates about 38,000 metric tonnes of
waste on a daily basis. Out of the huge amount, waste separation and recycle rate is only at 24%
while the remaining 76% goes to the landfill. The amount of waste generated continues to increase
due to growing population and increasing development. Modern lifestyle has led to more acute
waste problems, convenience products generally require more packaging, careless habits associated
with greater affluence lead to greater quantities of waste, as demonstrated by discarded wrappers
from the inevitable fast food outlet, and the modern day waste contains a higher proportion of non-
degradable materials such as plastics.

Solid waste management is a priority area under the 9th Malaysian Plan, as can be seen by
the government setting up a Solid Waste Department which is entrusted to enforce the Solid Waste
Management Bill. New concessions on domestic waste management will be introduced, as well as
recycling, and handling of specific types of solid waste like plastic, paper etc. is highlighted.

Modern waste management is shifted to a more flexible waste hierarchy concept, also called
as 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) policies . 3Rs in Malaysia was first launched in late 1980s and the
campaigns were focused mainly on the recycling activities but unfortunately it failed to improve the
existing waste management practice. Policy for Integrated Solid Waste Management in Malaysia –
2001, National Strategic Plan for Solid Waste Management in Malaysia – 2005 and Master Plan on
National Waste Minimization -2006 were introduced.

Several universities have successfully implemented a green university campus, whereby solid
waste management programmes were carefully planned based on key focus and waste
characterizations. One of the university is UNITEN. There are 7 initiatives that UNITEN have come up
with:-

1. Cycling in Campus
2. No Polystyrene
3. UNiRIDE
4. Energy Efficiency
5. Self Return Tray at food court
6. Zero Waste
7. EV Bus
 Figure 1- Green Campus Initative

Cycling have been a common thing in UNITEN nowdays. With the initative that UNITEN come
up with, a lot of student have been using bicycle as mode of transportation to the class. UNITEN also
have been providing UNIRIDE that be known as “electric bike” to encourage more student to use
bike. Lastly, they construct “cycle track” with roof all across UNITEN in hope for student to use bike
more often.

The latest initiatives is the EV Bus. The bus does not used fuel to operate but electric. In this
way it can reduce the carbon emission produced usually by using fuel operate bus. But by using
electric the carbon can be cut. This bus is provided in and outside of UNITEN.

Figure 2- EV Bus
Figure 3- Charging station