Abstract
As Malaysia is a fast-developing country, its prospects of sustainable energy generation are at the center of debate. Malaysian municipal solid waste (MSW) is projected to have a 3.3% increase in annual generation rate at the same time an increase of 3.3% for electricity demand. In Malaysia, most of the landfills are open dumpsite and 89% of the collected MSW end up in landfills. Furthermore, huge attention is being focused on converting MSW into energy due to the enormous amount of daily MSW being generated. Sanitary landfill to capture methane from waste landfill gas (LFG) and incineration in a combined heat and power plant (CHP) are common MSW-to-energy technologies in Malaysia. MSW in Malaysia contains 45% organic fraction thus landfill contributes as a potential LFG source. Waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies in treating MSW potentially provide an attractive economic investment since its feedstock (MSW) is collected almost for free. At present, there are considerable issues in WTE technologies although the technology employing MSW as feedstock are well established, for instance the fluctuation of MSW composition and the complexity in treatment facilities with its pollutant emissions. Thus, this study discusses various WTE technologies in Malaysia by considering the energy potentials from all existing incineration plants and landfill sites as an effective MSW management in Malaysia. Furthermore, to promote local innovation and technology development and to ensure successful long-term sustainable economic viability, social inclusiveness, and environmental sustainability in Malaysia, the four faculties of sustainable development namely technical, economic, environmental, and social issues affiliated with MSW-to-Energy technologies were compared and evaluated.
Highlights
The aim of this paper is to provide readers with a better picture on the current environmental and energy issues arising from the continuous municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and economic development in Malaysia
MSW-to-energy plants in a holistic analysis involving the four(MSW). This contributes significantly to the amount of anthropogenic municipal solid waste in sustainable development, namely technical, economic, environmental, and social, together and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions resulting from electricity production towith support the the SWOT analysis is discussed to select the most ever-increasing services needed by the growing population
As the laws can change and updates may be required in the air pollution controls, this could lead to much higher costs in the future [43]
Summary
The aim of this paper is to provide readers with a better picture on the current environmental and energy issues arising from the continuous municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and economic development in Malaysia. The paper addresses how MSW-to-energy can play an important role in achieving the United Nation’s sustainable development goals (UN-SDGs) and showcases the available. A holistic analysis involving the four faculties in sustainable development, namely technical, economic, environmental, and social, together with the SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat) analysis is discussed to select the most appropriate waste-to-energy (WTE) technology for ensuring long-term sustainability of WTE implementation and waste management practices in Malaysia can be achieved. This contributes significantly to the amount of anthropogenic municipal solid waste in sustainable development, namely technical, economic, environmental, and social, together and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions resulting from electricity production towith support the the SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat) analysis is discussed to select the most ever-increasing services needed by the growing population.
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