Waste Management Practice in Malaysia and Future Challenges

Malaysia current waste management systems are not able to solve the disposal rates. The reduction of waste through 3Rs programme (reduce, reuse, and recycle) is in precontemplation stage. The municipal solid waste (MSW) condition is mixed and wet. The landfill and Thermal Treatment Plant (incineration) are the current practices for the MSW disposal. Landfill created leachate while incineration released unhealthy gases. Incineration failed due to the improper management and high cost of the operation. Torrefaction is needed before it goes to the incineration to improve the high heating value (HHV). The MSW pyrolysis and gasification are able to convert into valuable products (bio-oil, biochar, combustible gases). Combustible gases can be used to feedback into the incinerator. The heat of the incinerator can be performed waste to energy (WTE), which is able to convert into electricity as a Feed-in-Tariff (FiT).