Waste segregation is necessary in increasing recycling rates, decreasing the burden faced by a country’s landfill system and improving public health
With most Malaysians staying at home in compliance with the Movement Control Order, more household wastes are being generated, either due to packaging from food delivery and online orders or leftover from cooking at home.
While waste segregation programmes are being enforced in some states and federal territories in West Malaysia, Sarawakians should take the opportunity to learn and understand the need to separate their household wastes.
Basically, waste segregation is the process of sorting wastes into different categories. According to the Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Malaysia, these wastes can be divided into two types.
The first is residual wastes, which include kitchen waste, food waste, contaminated materials and disposable diapers.
The second is recyclable wastes, such as paper, plastic, glass, aluminium cans, electronic waste, fabric, hazardous waste, bulky waste and garden waste.
Waste segregation is a means of shifting a nation towards a greener future by encouraging citizens to play their part in protecting the environment.
By effectively segregating wastes, more wastes go to the recycling process, which helps decrease the amount of solid wastes that go to landfills, and reduce the country’s allocation for solid waste disposal.
Waste segregation is also vital for public health, in that proper waste disposal can lower overall health risks within public areas, decrease exposure to hazardous waste and reduce pest infestation.
