Residential solid waste management in Ipoh City, Perak / Abdul Afiq Muhammad

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in Malaysia involves the disposal of approximately 98% of the total waste in landfills. The current disposal method of landfilling needs improvements to prolong the landfill life and minimize the problem of land scarcity. Rapid developments and industrialization in Malaysia necessitate a better and more efficient waste management strategy. The mushrooming of urban areas and rural-urban migration have increased the per capita income due to changes in the consumption patterns that led to increased waste generation. This study examined the solid waste management adopted by households in Ipoh city, Malaysia and their level of awareness and knowledge about the environmental impact of solid waste. The study was stratified into three residential neighborhoods (low, medium, and high). Through a questionnaire survey, 350 respondents were randomly selected from the three residential neighborhoods (Taman Meru Fasa 2B = 129, Taman Meru Perdana = 126 and Meru Height = 95). The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics techniques such as mean, mode, standard deviation, charts, and simple percentages. Also, inferential statistics such as one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent sample t-test were applied in the data analysis. Findings from the study revealed that 96.3% of respondents make use of public bins for waste disposal while only a few (3.7%) throw their waste into the valley, nearby water, or in an open space.