The Effect of Separation at Source (SAS) Program on Waste Generation Rate in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

Malaysian government recently implemented a compulsory waste separation program in Kuala Lumpur as an effort to reach the national target of 40% waste diversion from landfill and 22% recycling rate by 2020. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the program in the aspect of disposal and recycling trends. The results showed that the annual average daily generation rate was reduced by 105 tonnes/day or 5.5% after the implementation of the program. The collection amounts of recyclable materials were only about 1.3 tonnes/day. This low amount might be due to illegal collection by recycling vendors, poor enforcement by the authority and selling of the recyclable materials by residents directly to vendors.