Solid Waste management in Kuala Selangor and Sabak Bernam

Abstract

The disposal of solid waste has become an important issue in modern and developing countries like Malaysia. This was a cross-sectional study using secondary data from a public survey (January-December 2011). A total of 153 households from 2 villages in Selangor (75.2% from Kuala Selangor & 24.8% from Sabak Bernam) have completed data on solid waste management. Dependent variables include methods of solid waste disposal. Independent variables were the type of the houses, the district and the family income. To manage the solid waste, 44.4% sanitary landfill and 55.6% chose other ways (burying, burning, etc). In our sample 47.7% was in traditional houses but 9.6% of them chosen sanitary landfill and 90.4% chosen other disposal methods (P<0.001). From total respondents 52.3% were in modern houses which 76.3% of them had sanitary landfill and 23.8% had the other methods (P<0.001). There were no difference between the living district and the disposal method (P>0.05). There were no association between the households' income and the solid waste disposal method (P>0.05). Majority of modern house families used sanitary landfill but families in traditional houses 90% used non-authorized ways. More studies need to probe further why sanitary landfills were not successful in this area.