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Baseline study of household solid waste management practices among Orang Ulu community in Sungai Asap, Belaga, Sarawak toward carbon-neutral

  • SPECIAL FEATURE: REGIONAL CASE STUDY
  • Material Cycles toward Carbon Neutral Society
  • Published:
Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Developing countries’ dependency on landfills caused increasing greenhouse gasses emission. Sarawak, Malaysia is facing solid waste management issue due to landfill-dependency, especially in rural area. This study evaluated the household solid waste management practices in Sungai Asap, Belaga as a baseline to carbon-neutral. Quantification of segregated solid waste generated in Uma Belor, Uma Badang, and Uma Lahanan found to be lower than Sarawak’s rate at 0.43 kg/person/day, 0.47 kg/person/day, and 0.337 kg/person/day respectively. One-Way ANOVA revealed significant difference among food, plastic, and metal (p < 0.05) while insignificant difference among glass, paper, and other waste types (p > 0.05). Pearson correlation showed family income had moderately positive, statistically significant (r = 0.393, p < 0.001) while family size has low positive, statistically insignificant (r = 0.141, p > 0.05) relationship with waste generation. Interviews with villages’ representatives and Local Authorities revealed waste management practices, collection service inconsistency, and waste bins insufficiency were the main reasons for waste management issues. Therefore, this needed to be handled strictly to ensure sound household waste management practices. Finally, different approaches had to be implemented on the different types of waste to ensure holistic solutions can be established to achieve carbon-neutral community.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to my supervisor, Prof. Dr. Latifah Abd Manaf for her guidance and support while completing this study. My warmest gratitude to participants from Uma Belor, Uma Badang, and Uma Lahanan, representatives from Kapit District Office, Sungai Asap Sub-district. To my patient listeners, Nurul Fatiah, Jasmine Helbourn, and my friends at Pdoggies. Also, my big love to Namjoon Kim for being my inspiration and my reason to dream and hope. Finally, my biggest love and appreciation to my parents, Mr Kulleh Lajung and Mdm Sem Uso, for being my strongest pillars.

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  1. Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Vitarich Julan Kulleh & Latifah Abd Manaf

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  1. Vitarich Julan Kulleh
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  2. Latifah Abd Manaf
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Correspondence to Latifah Abd Manaf.

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Kulleh, V.J., Manaf, L.A. Baseline study of household solid waste management practices among Orang Ulu community in Sungai Asap, Belaga, Sarawak toward carbon-neutral. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 25, 1887–1899 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-023-01664-1

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