Improving MSW Landfilling System of Developing Countries: An Assessment of Current Conditions and Situations in Kedah, Malaysia

Abstract

This article is about finding key structural and institutional adjustments that, if undertaken, would allow for realisation of continuous improvements to any municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilling system. Our analysis of the MSW landfilling systems of the developed nations had shown that every modern MSW landfilling system is comprised at least four major components that are interconnected. These four components are rules and regulations, environmental protection measures consisting of procedures, engineering, and technology, organisation and personnel arrangement, and revenues and costs. With the objective of finding what changes are necessary so as to cause improvement to the Kedah’s landfilling system, data on all four components were collected. The data gathering methods that were employed included a self-administered questionnaire, field observations, and structured interviews. Our assessment of the landfilling system of Kedah yielded the following results: the majority of landfill facilities in Kedah consisted of crude open dumping operations and the contributory factors to this situation include; facility operations were not overseen by higher level of governmental bodies; badly or improperly site, design, and construction criteria; facility management by either untrained or unskilled managers; and lack funds. The structural and institutional adjustments that we think should be undertaken include development of clearer laws and re-assignment of oversight responsibilities, adoption of appropriate landfilling practices and technology, creation of landfill worker training programmes, and the development of new financing devices to pay for higher costs associated with safer landfilling technology and management. Not until all of these four adjustments have been simultaneously considered, any attempts to cause improvements to the Kedah’s MSW landfilling systems will only just be a temporary solution.