In many cities of tomorrow, waste will be a crucial issue in achieving sustainability—or not achieving it. Malaysia’s policy on waste is supposed to be based on the setting out of priorities: to avoid generating waste whenever possible; to re-use or recycle it; and as a last resort, to dispose of waste safely. Unfortunately, this guide is easier said than done because much of the responsibility for cutting waste volumes falls on local governments. Waste materials to be managed by local governments can originate from a variety of sources that include industrial, agricultural, commercial and domestic activities.

The current trend sees many governments and organizations worldwide adopting the ‘zero waste’ policies. ‘Zero waste’ is set as a future goal for maintaining a sustainable society. This calls for an effective waste management. Effective waste management strategies assist in minimizing or avoiding adverse impacts on the environment, while allowing for economic development and improvement in the quality of life. This whole-of-system approach aims to reduce waste at the source through product design and producer responsibility. As environmental concerns increase and disposal costs rise, industry and commercial sectors are working to reduce waste and emissions by modifying processes and practices to maintain environmental and economic sustainability.

Since ‘zero waste’ with aims to eliminate waste before it is produced is idealistic, many opt for waste minimization which is more realistic with attempts to minimize or to reduce its quantity and toxicity. The aims of achieving effective waste management are to:

Waste in its broadest sense includes greenhouse gases and other environmental emissions, as well as domestic, commercial and industrial refuse. In Malaysia, it has a big effect on the sustainability of our cities. The pressing waste management problem in international arena is also faced by Malaysia. This pressing issue has been highlighted by the introduction of the new Malaysian act that was passed by Parliament in July 2008 on the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act. In line with the act, the government had introduced a new department called the Department of National Solid Waste Management. Under the new act, all related issues of waste management especially solid waste will be under the supervision of the federal government rather than the current practice that sees local governments to shoulder the responsibility.