Solid Waste Minimization Research Articles

Toward sustainable solid waste minimization by manufacturing firms in Malaysia: strengths and weaknesses.

Malaysia is facing an increasing trend in industrial solid waste generation due to industrial development. Thus, there is a paramount need in taking practical actions and measurements to move toward sustainable industrial waste management. The main aim of this study is to assess practicing solid waste minimization by manufacturing firms. Analysis showed that majority of firms (92%) dispose of their wastes rather than utilize other sustainable waste management options. Also, waste minimization methods such as segregation of wastes, on-site recycle and reuse, improved housekeeping, and equipment modification were found to have significant contribution to waste reduction (p < 0.05). Lack of expertise (M = 3.50), lack of enough information (M = 3.54), lack of equipment modification (M = 3.16), and lack of specific waste minimization guidelines (M = 3.49) have higher mean score comparing with other barriers in different categories. These data were interpreted for elaborating on SWOT and TOWS (strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities) matrix to highlight strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities. Subsequently, ten policies were recommended for improvement of practicing waste minimization by manufacturing firms as the main objective of this research.

An examination of a city greening mega-event

Green mega-events have become popular, but few critical examinations of these events have been conducted. This study aimed to fill this gap by identifying present and absent factors in the greening framework of a mega-event hosted by a city in China. Using the 2011 International Horticultural Exposition in Xi’an as a case study, green practices from bidding to preparing to hosting were identified and analyzed. The results showed that (1) pollution control, improvements in the ecosystem services supply, greening of industry, and a sustainable transport strategy were utilized to enable a greener urban eco-environment, greener industries, and a more efficient transport system. (2) Hospitality management ignored solid waste minimization, eco-procurement, and the greening of visitors. And (3) a typical hierarchical model of greening governance was utilized, and an environmental certification and a participatory mechanism for various stakeholders were lacking. These findings contribute to the event management field by modeling greening principles and highlighting the similarities and differences in mega-event greening.

A Review of the Suitability of Using Eco-Efficiency Principles in Managing Environmental Impacts of the Packaged Water Industry in Ghana

The production and use of sachet water in Ghana has been consistently increasing, filling the gap of inadequate access to safe drinking water. Despite the obvious significant socio‑economic impact of the packaged water industry in Ghana, the associated environmental impacts of the production and use cannot be overlooked. The aim of this paper is to analyze the prospects of eco‑efficiency approach as a more sustainable means of production in the industry, leading towards the sustainable development agenda of the country. The methodology employed in this paper is desktop research with qualitative data collection and analysis, utilizing existing literature or secondary data. It was concluded that there are many good reasons for adopting an eco‑efficiency in the packaged water industry, including reducing operating costs and improve profitability by reducing energy, water supply, and solid waste costs, reducing water wastage and contribute in developing solid waste minimization plans. The significance of this paper is to increase the awareness of the effect of improper disposal of sachet waste on the Ghanaian environment and also seeks to inform the management of the many companies in the packaged water industry, stakeholders and consumers to be environmentally responsible, as their actions can help protect and improve the natural environment while improving the overall economy.

Public concerns and behaviors towards solid waste minimization using composting in Kampar district, Malaysia

Municipal solid waste generation in Malaysia has increase significantly. Organic materials continue to be the major portion of solid waste generated in Kampar, Malaysia. As a result of increasing rate of waste generation and population growth, land area will become more demanding causing the increment of the cost in solid waste management. As a result, solid waste management will become more expensive in the future. Waste separation and organic composting can provide good solution in reducing waste disposal. Nevertheless, public awareness is an important key to improve solid waste management issue. During this study, questionnaire was designed to test out public general knowledge regarding waste management, and their willingness to do composting. 270 questionnaires were distributed to the public. Data analysis of the questionnaire shows that only a few of the respondents (24 numbers) have good awareness. Likert scale was applied to prioritize the factors that discourage waste separation and organic composting practices in Kampar District. This paper concluded that public education and awareness toward solid waste minimization using composting is crucial.

Survey of Household Solid Waste Management and Waste Minimization in Malaysia: Awareness, Issues and Practices

Effective solid waste management (SWM) is very crucial in every nation as it determines the sustainability of the environment and ensures the health of the society. This study examines households' awareness on household solid waste management and their opinion on the services provided by a solid waste management concessionaire in one of the regions in Malaysia. A survey on 398 respondents among households finds that the awareness on the privatization of SWM is acceptable and a majority of them are ignorant about the frequency of waste collection. However, the respondents' knowledge on waste and their understanding on the health consequences of waste are relatively good. The main problem expressed by respondents with respect to waste disposal is that collection schedules are not adhered to by the collectors. Disorderly disposal of rubbish is also perceived to be a problem, and a majority of the respondents believe that lack of awareness, knowledge and enforcement are the major causes of the problem. As far as waste minimization is concerned, respondents feel that the facilities and services provided are not adequate. Other than using the waste collection service, the households rarely practice other means of waste minimization such as to reuse, recycle, and compost. The role of regulators and concessionaires in educating the community so that the latter can play their role effectively is very crucial.

Socio-Demographic Influencing Behaviour against Solid Waste Minimisation in Shah Alam City, Malaysia

Waste management is one of the most challenging problems. This study investigates the influence of household attributes on waste minimisation behaviour in Shah Alam City, Malaysia. Through a household survey, 300 respondents were randomly chosen. Findings from the study revealed that respondents behaviour has statistically significant associations with 4 socio-demographic, namely gender [F(298) = 7.33, p = 0.00]; race [F(2, 297) = 3.22, p = 0.04]; marital status [F(2, 297) = 3.51, p = 0.03]; home ownership [F(2, 295) = 7.57, p = 0.00]. The results of this analysis will facilitate the implementation of policies for sustainable solid waste minimisation.

Green Practices of Accommodation and Lodging Establishments in Siquijor Province, Philippines

The hospitality industries strive to be more environment-friendly and responsible nowadays. Many hotels are now using Green Mark rating scheme audaciously to signify their involvement in the trending greening phenomena. Embracing green practices is not only a cost-saving undertaking but also a wise utilization of the depleting resources and exhausts the tradition of reusing, recycling and reducing. This study is aimed at determining the green practices of the local accommodation and lodging establishments in Siquijor, Philippines. This descriptive type of research probed green practices in the housekeeping and kitchen departments of the 11 establishments employing survey questionnaire based from modified Best Environmental Practices (BEP) for the hotel industry. This includes BEP in four categories, namely: water efficiency and conservation, energy efficiency, solid waste minimization, and environmental purchasing. The research found out that there are evident green practices among the local establishments in the town of Siquijor. However, they have to consider the sustainability and improvements of their practices.

Evaluation of Practicing sustainable Industrial Solid Waste Minimization by Manufacturing Firms in Malaysia: Strengths and Weaknesses.

Malaysia is facing an increasing trend in industrial solid waste generation due to industrial development.Thus there is a paramount need in taking a serious action to move toward sustainable industrial waste management. The main aim of this study is to assess practicing solid waste minimization by manufacturing firms in Shah Alam industrial state, Malaysia. This paper presents a series of descriptive and inferential statistical analysis regarding the level and effects of practicing waste minimization methods, and seriousness of barriers preventing industries from practicing waste minimization methods. For this purpose the survey questions were designed such that both quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structures interview) data were collected concurrently. Analysis showed that, the majority of firms (92%) dispose their wastes rather than practice other sustainable waste management options. Also waste minimization methods such as segregation of wastes, on-site recycle and reuse, improve housekeeping and equipment modification were found to have significant contribution in waste reduction (p<0.05). Lack of expertise (M=3.50), lack of enough information (M= 3.54), lack of equipment modification (M= 3.16) and lack of specific waste minimization guidelines (M=3.49) have higher mean scores comparing with other barriers in different categories. These data were interpreted for elaborating of SWOT and TOWS matrix to highlight strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. Accordingly, ten policies were recommended for improvement of practicing waste minimization by manufacturing firms as the main aim of this research. Implications This manuscript critically analysis waste minimization practices by manufacturing firms in Malaysia. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis were conducted to formulate SWOT and TOWS matrix in order to recommend policies and strategies for improvement of solid waste minimization by manufacturing industries. The results contribute to the knowledge and the findings of this study provide a useful baseline information and data on industrial solid waste generation and waste minimization practice.

Lean/Green integration focused on waste reduction techniques

In a context in which companies aim to optimize their social and environmental responsibility, they can adopt and combine Lean and Green strategies. This paper offers a quantitative study of Lean/Green integration focused on waste reduction techniques in manufacturing processes. The literature confirms the convergence of the concepts of Lean Manufacturing and Green Management. Specifically, Waste Reduction Techniques are considered one of the main areas of the overlap between the Lean and Green paradigms. This offers interesting possibilities for future research on the development of quantitative studies on Waste Reduction Techniques, especially for a solid waste minimization program in manufacturing. Using the Design of Experiments tool, the present study measures the influence of different methods, derived from both the Lean and Green approaches, on solid waste management performance. Based on these results, a hierarchy of progress factors for a waste minimization program in manufacturing is outlined: the 3R Hierarchy must be preferred to a deadly waste (muda) analysis and combining the 3R Hierarchy and the deadly wastes of Lean Management improves the performance of a waste minimization program in manufacturing. In addition, the use of a Lean/Green matrix —a check-list that integrates Lean and Green best practices— was shown to consistently increase the performance of a waste minimization plan and as a result, the impact on the waste reduction can be doubled. This work is of interest to practitioners because they can build upon this experience to implement a waste reduction program using a set of tools to monitor and measure the program's achievements, which can ultimately lead to balanced performance improvement in terms of environmental, social and economic dimensions.

Social Factors Influencing Household Solid Waste Minimisation

The growth of the world's population, coupled with increasing urbanization, and rising standards of living, have all contributed to the increase in solid waste generation. Solid waste disposal is becoming a difficult problem for many countries. Thus, efficient recycling of solid wastes is now a global concern for a sustainable solid waste management. Solid waste minimization is one of the ways of reducing the quantity of wastes for disposal. This study examines the perception of households towards solid waste minimization. 100 respondents were randomly selected from Section 7 housing area in Shah Alam city, Malaysia. Descriptive statistical technique was used in analysing the data. Findings from the study showed that respondent's knowledge on waste minimization was above average. However, their level of knowledge as revealed further by the results is not in tandem with their attitude on waste minimization, which suggests that their attitude towards waste minimization is low. People who showed higher knowledge do not necessarily show concern or perform in solid waste minimisation. Therefore, local authorities must develop appropriate policy strategies to change the attitude and behaviour towards waste minimisation if they are to reach their statutory targets.

Determination of mortar strength using stone dust as a partially replaced material for cement and sand

Mortar is a masonry product which is matrix of concrete. It consists of binder and fine aggregate and moreover, it is an essential associate in any reinforced structural construction. The strength of mortar is a special concern to the engineer because mortar is responsible to give protection in the outer part of the structure as well as at a brick joint in masonry wall system. The purpose of this research is to investigate the compressive strength and tensile strength of mortar, which are important mechanical properties, by replacing the cement and sand by stone dust. Moreover, to minimize the increasing demand of cement and sand, checking of appropriateness of stone dust as a construction material is necessary to ensure both solid waste minimization and recovery by exchanging stone dust with cement and sand. Stone dust passing by No. 200 sieve, is used as cement replacing material and retained by No. 100 sieve is used for sand replacement. Sand was replaced by stone dust of 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45% and 50% by weight of sand while cement was replaced by stone dust of 3%, 5%, and 7% by weight of cement. Test result indicates that, compressive strength of specimen mix with 35% of sand replacing stone dust and 3% of cement replacing stone dust increases 21.33% and 22.76% respectively than the normal mortar specimen at 7 and 28 days while for tensile it increases up to 13.47%. At the end, optimum dose was selected and crack analysis as well as discussion also included.

Determination of mortar strength using stone dust as a partially replaced material for cement and sand

Mortar is a masonry product which is matrix of concrete. It consists of binder and fine aggregate and moreover, it is an essential associate in any reinforced structural construction. The strength of mortar is a special concern to the engineer because mortar is responsible to give protection in the outer part of the structure as well as at a brick joint in masonry wall system. The purpose of this research is to investigate the compressive strength and tensile strength of mortar, which are important mechanical properties, by replacing the cement and sand by stone dust. Moreover, to minimize the increasing demand of cement and sand, checking of appropriateness of stone dust as a construction material is necessary to ensure both solid waste minimization and recovery by exchanging stone dust with cement and sand. Stone dust passing by No. 200 sieve, is used as cement replacing material and retained by No. 100 sieve is used for sand replacement. Sand was replaced by stone dust of 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45% and 50% by weight of sand while cement was replaced by stone dust of 3%, 5%, and 7% by weight of cement. Test result indicates that, compressive strength of specimen mix with 35% of sand replacing stone dust and 3% of cement replacing stone dust increases 21.33% and 22.76% respectively than the normal mortar specimen at 7 and 28 days while for tensile it increases up to 13.47%. At the end, optimum dose was selected and crack analysis as well as discussion also included.

Waste Management in the Reform and Adequacy of the Maracanã Stadium for the FIFA Football World Cup 2014

This work aims to contribute to the minimization of solid construction waste at construction sites through the application of sustainability concepts in the construction industry, addressing the recommendations of the LEED certification. The object of study was the works of reform and adaptation of the Maracanã Stadium, venue of the final match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The methodology consists of visits to the construction site of the stadium, interviews with responsible people for the jobs and data analysis collected by the Maracanã Consortium Rio 2014 Report. Based on the data collected, it was evaluated the used strategies and tools in the construction to minimize the generation of waste. It was found that the strategies were well executed, contributing to the reduction of waste at the construction site and to the sustainable disposal of the generated waste. The strategies involved environmental, social and economic aspects, giving the construction an international certification for sustainable building.

Study on Mutual Adaptability of Environmental Protection Project and Women

On the basis of the development of social assessment, the author proposes gender analysis logic, and then takes the Ningbo municipal solid waste minimization and recycling project as an example, studies on the mutual adaptability of environmental protection project and women, analyzes mutual effect and gender risk between environmental project and women. Discover that the influence of the project to women has both positive and negative effects. As subjective initiative individual affected by the project, women’s attitudes and behaviors to the project will affect implementation of the project effectively in a direct or indirect way.

Solid waste management in Asian countries: a review of solid waste minimisation (3'r) towards low carbon

The amount of solid-waste generated in Asian countries has increased tremendously, mainly due to the improvement in living standards, rapid developments in technology, growth in economy and population in the cities. Solid waste management is a global issue and major challenge facing Asian countries and neglecting its management may have negative consequences on the environment. Waste composition data proves the developed countries to have generated more recyclable materials while developing countries produce more organic and less recyclable waste such as paper, plastic and aluminium. In this regard, increase in number of landfills and disposal sites, will have an impact on GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and pollutants to air and water. Alternative methods should therefore be taken to reduce the volume of waste. Most Asian countries have adopted the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) concept in order to reduce solid waste and their governments have implemented laws and regulations in order to support this. Implementation of 3R is the major contributor to the solid waste minimization and it can improve the quality of environmental sustainability and reduction of carbon dioxide emission in to the atmosphere. Based on our review, most of the countries practicing the 3R concept in tandem with laws and regulations perform better than those that just practice the 3R concept without any laws and regulations. The paper suggests that every country must focus on the laws and regulations relating to solid waste minimization so that it could be easily implemented as outlined.

Barriers to Practice of Non-Hazardous Solid Waste Minimization by Industries in Malaysia

The Practice of waste minimization plays a significant role in sustainable development as the most acceptable method in the waste management hierarchy. This paper is a case study research on industrial non-hazardous wastes generated from different industrial activities in one of the major Malaysian industrial areas. This study is aimed at identifying the barriers of waste minimization practices in Malaysian industries. The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods were applied in the study through the use of a structured questionnaire prepared on Likert scale and semi-structured interviews with respondents across thirty (30) factories. Data collected through the questionnaire was analyzed using software and severity index tool. Findings reveal the barriers faced in practicing waste minimization by industries include the lack of time for separation of waste, absence of guidelines, regulations and limited accurate knowledge with severity index range of 62.5<=SI< 87.5, which were considered to be serious issues. Through the application of suitable educational and awareness programs for industrial stakeholders, an effective waste minimization practice can be achieved.

The Construction Solid Waste Minimization Practices among Malaysian Contractors

The function of minimization of construction solid waste is to reduce or eliminates the adverse impacts on the environment and to human health. Due to the increase of population that leads to rapid development, there are possibilities of construction solid waste to be increased shortly from the construction works, demolition or renovation works. Materials such as wood, concrete, paint, brick, roofing, tiles, plastic and any other materials would contribute problem involving construction solid waste. Therefore, the proper waste minimization is needed to control the quantity of construction solid waste produced. This paper identifies the type of construction solid waste produced and discusses the waste minimization practice by the contractors at construction sites in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Use of stone powder in concrete and mortar as an alternative of sand

Stone powder produced from stone crushing zones appears as a problem for effective disposal. Sand is a common fine aggregate used in construction work as a fine aggregate. In this study, the main concern is to find an alternative of sand. Substitution of normal sand by stone powder will serve both solid waste minimization and waste recovery. The study focuses to determine the relative performance of concrete by using powder sand. From laboratory experiments, it was revealed that concrete made of stone powder and stone chip gained about 15% higher strength than that of the concrete made of normal sand and brick chip. Concrete of stone powder and brick chip gained about 10% higher strength than that of the concrete normal sand and stone chip concrete. The highest compressive strength of mortar found from stone powder which is 33.02 Mpa, shows that better mortar can be prepared by the stone powder. The compressive strength of concrete from stone powder shows 14.76% higher value than that of the concrete made of normal sand. On the other hand, concrete from brick chip and stone powder produce higher compressive value from that of brick chip and normal sand concrete. Key words: Stone powder, concrete, mortar, concrete, compressive strength

Drivers of solid waste minimisation in Finnish metal engineering SMEs: the role of Environmental Management Systems

The paper reports on a survey in Finnish small- and medium-sized metal engineering enterprises (SMEs) with certified Environmental Management System (EMS). Waste awareness has increased after certifying EMS and the treatment of solid waste has improved; source separation of solid waste facilitated the recovery of recyclables and their diversion from landfill. EMS has raised knowledge levels, in particular on recycling of solid waste, and the attitudes toward environmental improvements have improved. However, it is concluded that, while certified EMS brought positive changes in waste treatment, it did not promote waste minimisation and prevention.

Case study: Determination of the economic and operational feasibility of a material recovery facility for municipal recycling in Lucas County, Ohio, USA

Solid waste minimization and recycling goals for municipalities are achievable through the installation of material recovery facilities (MRFs) and in certain solid waste management systems, government owned and operated MRFs are feasible and cost justified. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate a structured process to evaluate and determine the operational and economic feasibly of a government owned MRF that is based on financial engineering. As a companion, a case study from Lucas County, Ohio (USA) is provided that demonstrated this analysis process. In addition, the paper explores the impact of uncertainty in decision alternatives by placing a strong emphasis on economic efficiencies and a sensitivity analysis of the results to changes in the data inputs, specifically inflation, recycling levels, and recycling commodity market shifts. The key findings from the research indicate that the municipality will achieve a payback period of approximately 4 years, and a 10 years internal rate of return of 20.5%, versus the current system of out souring. The consequences of these findings, stemming from the economic and operational justification, led to the actual purchase of a MRF site for Lucas County, Ohio (USA). This research may serve as an example or model for other local governments considering the implementation of such a system.