Table of Contents Abbreviations and Acronyms Foreword Message i ii iii Background 1 Planning a Community 3R Centre 5 Setting Up and Operating the Community 3R Centre 9 Looking Back: Successes, Challenges and Lessons 15 The Way Forward 22 Bibliography 23 Appendix I: List of Taskforce Committee Members 24
Abbreviations and Acronyms 3R DANIDA DNSWM Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Danish International Development Assistance Department of National Solid Waste Management (JPSPN) KRT Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (Resident Association) LA MDP MHLG NGOs Local Authority Majlis Daerah Pekan (Pekan District Council) Ministry of Housing and Local Government Non-Governmental Organisations PJCC Petaling Jaya Community Centre RE Responsible Entity SWM TP YDP Solid Waste Management Tapak Pelupusan (Landfill) Yang Dipertua i
Foreword Malaysia has experienced a growing need and commitment to manage our solid waste more efficiently and effectively. With scarcity of natural resources, there is an increased need to optimise exploitation and utilisation of natural resources. Improving the management of our solid waste is one of the most challenging tasks for the local authorities. For Pekan District Council, as for most of the Local Authorities in Malaysia, most of the solid waste is still disposed of to open dumpsites. Today, Pekan District Council disposes approximately 7,200 tonnes of solid wastes per year. The awareness and knowledge of residents in Pekan to reduce, reuse and recycle is still very limited. We are committed to promote the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R) to safeguard the environment and we believe our efforts are making a difference for Pekan and setting an example for other local authorities. This booklet presents the activities and outcomes from the community initiative project titled Community 3R Centre to increase public participation in Solid Waste Management which we have established for three residential areas in Pekan with assistance from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA). It is an attempt to empower and engage the local community in setting up and operating a community 3R centre within their own community. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read the booklet and share our experiences from the community activities, awareness and educational programmes conducted in cooperation with the involved communities. Thank you to each and everyone that has participated in or supported the establishment of this Community 3R Centre in Pekan district. It is through the support of the residents and partners such as yourselves that we are able to achieve the successes that are highlighted in this publication. Yang Berhormat Dato Haji Abdul Basik bin Mohd Sah Yang DiPertua Majlis Daerah Pekan ii
Message Public participation and awareness are instrumental for improving the way we deal with our waste today. Waste reduction and recycling can only be successful if the authorities, the private sector and the public work together in unity for the better of the society. In 2005, the Government of Denmark through the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA) agreed with the Government of Malaysia to establish a fund to support Local Authorities, who were committed to carry out such initiatives to increase public participation and awareness in solid waste management on the local level. The fund was subsequently established in 2006, and the local authorities were requested to submit proposals for funding. The response from the Local Authorities was overwhelming and very encouraging. It was not easy for the Ministry and DANIDA to select the 10 initiatives, among the large number of interesting and promising ideas, which could be financed within the budgetary limits. The strong response is a clear demonstration of the commitment and enthusiasm towards saving resources and protecting the environment that exists in many Local Authorities and communities. The initiatives selected include a very broad range of activities involving many parts of the society, including residents, school children, hotels, restaurants, hawkers, tourists to mention a few. And the ranges of subjects are similarly broad including waste reduction, recycling, home composting, bulky waste management and cleanliness. The fund has now come to an end, and it is time to sum up the experience and the lessons learned. Through a series of booklets, each initiative is presented and the experience and lessons learned are documented. It is my hope that the booklets will act as inspiration for others. The booklets are made not only to facilitate replication of the initiatives, but is also hoped that the booklets will inspire residents, communities and businesses to come up with different and new ideas to further increase the involvement of the society and the hope for a brighter future for all of us. The present booklet presents one of the successful community initiatives the Community 3R Centre in Majlis Daerah Pekan. DATO NADZRI BIN YAHAYA Ph.D Director General Department of National Solid Waste Management Ministry of Housing and Local Government iii
Background The quantity of solid waste disposed of in Pekan town is approximately 7,200 tonnes per year. This quantity includes waste from households, institutions and commercial activities such as markets, shops, stalls and offices. Pekan District Council or Majlis Daerah Pekan (MDP) has outsourced the solid waste collection services to a concessionaire, namely Alam Flora Sdn. Bhd. The services consist of a 3 times per week collection for residual waste generated from households. The residual solid waste is brought to the landfill at Tapak Pelupusan (TP) Keledang about 5 km from Pekan town. Recycling activities in Pekan are mainly carried out by a limited number of private recycling agents as well as the scavengers in the landfill. The concept of 3R to reduce, reuse and recycle is becoming an important strategy in solid waste management (SWM) all over the country. The increasing costs of waste collection and disposal coupled with environmental and socio-economic constraints have prompted the authorities to increasingly promote 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle) programmes. Community s involvement and support are key success factors to such 3R programmes. Realising 3R as an economically and environmentally sustainable approach, MDP has organised a large number of activities and programmes to create public awareness. Among these are Recycling Days, 3R talks and 3R campaigns for schools in conjunction with MDP s programmes. As a result of these efforts, Pekan was awarded the winner of Bandar Bestari (i.e. Sustainable City) Award under the National Environmental Award Year 2006/2007 for district council category. REDUCE the waste generated REUSE items or products RECYCLE as much materials as possible INCINERATION / LANDFILL remaining portion of the waste Hierarchy of Methods in Solid Waste Management 1
Collection centres for recyclables from households (3R centres) began to emerge in Malaysia following the First National Recycling Campaign in 1993 and the number grew further during the Second National Recycling Campaign held in 2000. Most of these centres were jointly established by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private businesses and LAs as a mean to generate awareness and foster 3R lifestyle amongst the people through active community involvement. Such centres are usually located in the urban or suburban areas of major cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Johor Bahru, Kuching, etc. where the supply and demand for the recyclables are more prominent. In contrast, the lack of environmental awareness and understanding of the consequences of poor SWM is widespread in smaller urban and rural communities. Further, the LAs in these areas often do not have adequate capacities, infrastructure and financial resources to actively enhance 3R. As a result, the success of fostering 3R lifestyle in such areas is still low. In view of the above, MDP proposed to set up a community 3R centre for sub-urban area settings. The proposal was submitted to the Community Initiatives Programme, established by the Department of National Solid Waste Management (DNSWM), Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHLG) and the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA), for funding. The programme supports solid waste related initiatives, targeting public participation as an inherent element of a sustainable SWM system in 10 LAs around Peninsular Malaysia. The project was funded by the Community Initiatives Programme from August 2007 to December 2008. This booklet documents the processes and experiences gained in establishing and operating of a community 3R centre in suburban residential areas situated in Pekan town, state of Pahang. 2
WHY COMMUNITY 3R CENTRE? There are many possible ways to generate active community participation in 3R. Among the options is setting up of 3R centres to be planned and managed by the local communities. 3R centre can be defined as a site or facility equipped for delivery, sorting, storage, processing and transportation of recyclables. 3R centres may be operated in the following manner: Drop-off centre a dedicated site area for the residents to deliver mixed or sorted recyclables; the centre may or may not be equipped with bins and containers for the materials; and Buy-back centre a drop-off centre that offers monetary incentive for some or all of the recycled materials which the residents bring to the centre. 3R centres may be planned and managed by the authorities, private recyclers, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or the local community in which the centre is located. Centres planned and managed by the local community are defined as community 3R centres in this report. For this project, the concept of community 3R centre was introduced to empower and engage the local community into the planning and management of a 3R centre within their own neighbourhood. The intention was to instil the awareness and attract hands-on participation from the community in the importance of 3R and develop ownership towards such centres to ensure their sustainability. BENEFITS OF A COMMUNITY 3R CENTRE A well-operated community 3R centre can contribute to a healthy and united community. It also plays an essential part in educating residents about the importance of 3R and its environmental benefits. Socio-economic and environmental benefits can include: Reduces costs for waste collection and disposal Empowers people in decision-making Builds local capacities and capabilities in managing the recyclables Brings a community together by providing an opportunity and solid platform for community participation Encourages volunteerism Creates jobs Generates revenues for the families Supports sustainable industries and the growth for green technologies 3
ABOUT PEKAN DISTRICT Pekan is the royal town and former capital of the State of Pahang Darul Makmur. Located on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and on the banks of the Pahang River, it is the home of the State's royal family headed by Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'adzam Shah. It is also the hometown of the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and the current Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. According to the legend, Pekan derives its name from a flower known as Bunga Pekan which once grew abundantly along the Pahang River. 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Johor Kuala Lumpur Kelantan Kedah Melaka Negeri Sembilan Pulau Pinang Pahang Perak Perlis Selangor Terengganu 7 4 9 11 2 3 8 6 5 12 1 Peninsular Malaysia, State of Pahang & Pekan District The district is predominantly rural with low population density. The total population of the district is approximately 100,000 residents (MDP, 2003). About 86.8% of the citizens are Malay, 9.9% orang asli, 1.5% Chinese, 0.5% Indian and 1.3% others. The district s economy is dominated by its agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors. Pekan district has the third largest coverage of oil palm plantations and second largest coverage of paddy fields in the State of Pahang. Other economic sectors are construction, transportation services, communication and utilities. The average per capita income of Pekan town exceeds RM6,000 per year and the majority of the Pekan residents are from the low and middle income groups. Total Area Population :100,000 : 3,805 km : 0.45% residential areas, 0.01% commercial areas, 52.6% forest reserves, 46.9% other land use Ethnic group : Malay 86.8%, Chinese 1.5%, Indian 0.5%, Orang Asli 9.9%, Others 1.3% Places of Interest: Water Transport Gallery, Birth of former Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak, Sultan Abu Bakar Museum Sources: MDP, 2009 Pekan District: Facts and Figures 4
Planning a Community 3R Centre PLANNING A COMMUNITY 3R CENTRE The idea of setting up a community 3R centre was originated from the Resident Association (KRT) of Taman Permata in 2007. Taman Permata is a sub-urban residential area located in the eastern part of Pekan town. The KRT decided to fight against their litter problem by involving residents in 3R practices. However, there was no recycling centre within the residential area and the nearest recycling centre was located in the town centre which is about 2km away. This idea prompted MDP to implement the project Community 3R Centre to Increase Public Participation in Solid Waste Management in Pekan District Council. This project, the first community project of its kind in Pahang was established as a collaboration between the local residents and the District Council. The objectives of the project were: 1) to establish a community 3R centre as a buy-back centre for rural and small communities in Pekan district; 2) to increase awareness and participation of the rural and small communities in 3R; 3) to establish public ownership of the community 3R centre and ensure its sustainability; 4) to reduce solid waste being disposed of in the landfill and to extend the lifespan of the landfill; 5) to reduce usage of natural resources; and 6) to reduce SWM service costs borne by the District Council. Title : Pekan Town Community 3R Centre: Quick Facts Duration : August 2007 - December 2008 (16 months) Implementing Agency : Pekan District Council Participants : Community 3R Centre to Increase Public Participation in Solid Waste Management in Pekan District Council Over 1,000 persons including residents, local Government officials and private companies 5
Planning TO ESTABLISH A PROJECT ORGANISATION FRAMEWORK AND WORKING PROCEDURES Upon commencement of the project, a taskforce committee was established. The taskforce committee consisted of representatives from MDP, representatives from the involved communities -Taman Permata, Taman Ketapang Mawar and Taman Sri Pekan Baru, Pekan District Police Office and the recyclers. The taskforce was chaired by the MDP Secretary. The committee s role was mainly to discuss and consider and decide on proposals and opinions of the various stakeholders on the best project implementation strategies. The task force committee was assisted by a Responsible Entity (RE), nominated by the council in the overall coordination of the project. The appointed RE, Perunding Uras, was the primary source of technical assistance for the planning and implementation of the project. The KRT Taman Permata provided the staff for operating the community 3R centre. CHAIRMAN Secretary of MDP ADVISOR DANIDA SWMC SECRETARY Asst. Environmental Health Officer of MDP CONSULTANT Responsible Entity TREASURY KRT Taman Permata COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMITTEE MEMBER Project Organisation Framework Taskforce Committee 6
SELECTION OF SITES As the project idea was originated from Taman Permata, this community was initially selected for implementing the project. Prior to the project inception, MDP decided to add two residential areas adjacent to Taman Permata - Taman Sri Pekan Baru and Taman Ketapang Mawar. This addition made it up to a total of 384 households with 1,000 residents. The additional communities have some socio-economic similarities to Taman Permata but the types of houses are quite different (photo below). In all three communities, more than 80% of the residents are Malay and most of them earn their living as employees. Taman Permata Houses : 106 Type : Village House Residents : 600 (90% Owner) Taman Ketapang Mawar Houses : 28 Type : Terrace House Residents : 150 (65% Owner) Taman Sri Pekan Baru Houses : 250 Type : Low - Cost Terrace House Residents : 250 (50% Owner) Selected Residential Areas in Pekan Town 7
PRELIMINARY SURVEY Prior to establishing the centre, three sessions of preliminary surveys were carried out by members from the KRT Taman Permata to gauge the level of awareness and attitudes of the residents on 3R practices. The preliminary surveys were conducted between September 2007 and January 2008. The surveys showed that 87% of the residents did not participate in existing 3R programmes or any 3R-related activities. Those who were aware of 3R were mostly students and housewives ranging from age 18 to 40 with secondary school education. These results indicated that education plays an important role in enhancing the awareness and fostering the 3R habit in the society. 3R educe euse ecycle 13 109 3 YES NO NO ANSWER Participation of Respondent in 3R Activities Awareness Talks Conducted on 30 September 2007 8
Setting Up and Operating the Community 3R Centre CAPACITY BUILDING OF STAKEHOLDERS To successfully implement the community 3R centre, a number of capacity building activities were carried out. The activities include a study tour and two training courses. On top of that, manuals for operating a community 3R centre and organising 3R campaigns were prepared to ensure sustainability of the centre. A study tour to Kuching Community Centre in Sarawak was organised on 20 23 October 2007 to learn about the management of the recycling centre in Kuching and different incentive schemes used to increase collection of recyclables from the public. 9 participants from MDP and the three selected communities have participated. The group gained much knowledge on which items were recyclables and the sorting of the items. The group also identified other ideas that could be applied back home.the ideas were: A point system or monetary-based incentive scheme would be more suitable than a non-monetary or donationbased scheme. A computerised recording system should be applied. Activities on how to make handicrafts from recyclables should be organised. This particular activity would appeal to the housewives. An operational training course on how to run a community 3R centre for the four persons who would serve as caretakers of the community 3R centre was held in Petaling Jaya Community Centre on 28 July 2008. The resource persons were from Petaling Jaya Community Centre (PJCC). The training programme included management, operation and reporting skills. The participants were asked to participate in a trial run at the end of the training. A follow-up training course was organised for the caretakers on 27 September 2008 at community 3R centre. The course provided knowledge and skills on operational and reporting procedures for the collection of recyclables, specifically related to the conditions of the selected areas. Study tour conducted on 20 23 October 2007 Operational Training Reporting Training 9
PREMISE An abandoned kindergarten building currently under the care of KRT Taman Permata was chosen as the premise for the community 3R centre. Renovation and upgrading of the building were carried out between February and August 2008. Equipments such as recycling bins, weighing machines, etc. necessary for the operation of the 3R centre were put in place. OUTREACH AND PUBLICITY Since local support is essential to the success of the project, KRT Taman Permata held two sessions of talks at the Taman Permata Neighbourhood Watch Centre and at Taman Sri Pekan Baru on 30 September 2007. These talks provided general information on SWM and 3R as well as introduction to the community 3R centre to be set up. Before launching the community 3R centre, awareness of the public had to be increased as evidenced in the preliminary survey. Four buy-back campaigns were organised: Campaign Date Main recyclables collected 1st Campaign 2nd Campaign 3rd Campaign 4th Campaign 29 March 2008 7 June 2008 21 September 2008 27 October 2008 Paper & Plastic Paper, Plastic & Aluminium Cans Paper & Metal Cans Plastic Venue Tapak Pekan Sehari Padang Pekan Community 3R Centre, Taman Permata Community 3R Centre, Taman Permata Further, a drawing and colouring competition for the students in the three selected residential areas was organised. These promotional activities have attracted much attention from the local mass media as well as the residents as the activities were creative and new to them. Winning Artworks of the Drawing and Colouring Competition 10
LAUNCHING The community 3R centre was officially launched by Yang Berhormat Dato Haji Abdul Basik bin Mohd Sah, the YDP of MDP on 30 August 2008. A total of 200 persons attended the launching ceremony. Launching Ceremony Officiated by Yang Berhormat Dato Haji Abdul Basik bin Mohd Sah, YDP of MDP 3R Awareness Campaign Banner Used In Campaigns After the official launch, KRT Taman Permata continued to promote the 3R centre by organising two special campaign days on 21 September and 27 October 2008 respectively at the centre. Special buy-back price for the recyclables was offered during these campaigns to encourage more participation from the residents. 11
WORKFORCE AND OPERATION The community 3R centre operates every Sunday from 9.00am to 12.00pm and is equipped with recycling bins clearly marked for papers, plastics, aluminium and metal cans. As a buy-back centre, it offers incentives in the form of monetary returns for the recyclables dropped off by the public. The collected recyclables are then sold to the appointed recycling agent, Mr. Teh Koh Seng according to the current market price. Currently, the centre only collects: papers (old newspaper, cardboard, mixed paper and black & white paper) plastics aluminium and metal cans Four volunteers were selected among the local residents as caretakers to run the centre. The caretakers are compensated at the rate of RM20 per working day per person. Their tasks include: Receive/sort the recyclables sent by public Ensure all the facilities are in working order Weigh and record the quantity of recyclables Tasks For Caretakers Submit report on incoming /outgoing recyclables to MDP Provide cash-back payment to the public Sell the recycables to the appointed recycling agent Organise and store the recyclables at the centre 12
DATA RECORDING Every collection and transaction of recyclable was recorded in the computer using a Microsoft Excel sheet. This recording exercise helps the caretakers to monitor the trends of quantities and prices. Monitoring and Evaluation STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS Regular stakeholder meetings were held throughout the project implementation to discuss and resolve issues related to the project activities. This proved to be a good mechanism to arouse the interest of the local residents and to empower the community in the process of setting up and operating the community 3R centre. Some issues that need further consideration have been identified: Longer operating hours may be required. The feedback from the stakeholders indicated that the three-hour operational time per week is not sufficient. Firm agreement with the appointed recycler on the schedule for collection of recyclables is required. During the project, inconsistent collection schedule has created storage problems for the centre. POST SURVEY A post survey was conducted in October and November 2008 to determine if the level of awareness and knowledge of the community on 3R has improved. Findings from the survey and the performance of the community 3R centre will be discussed in greater detail in the next section. 13
1. Identify your Community and Select Location Steps in Setting-up and Operating a Community 3R Centre 5. Evaluate Results and Improve 2. Name a Leader and Establish a Project Team 4. Setting Up and Operation (Capacity Building, Premise, Publicity & Promotion) 3. Planning (Select Sites, Survey, Inform Residents, Getting Assistance and Financing) 14
Looking Back: Successes, Challenges and Lessons SUCCESSES High Volumes of Recyclables Collected By the end of January 2009, after 5 months operation of the centre, there had been 12 collection days at the community 3R centre collecting around 8.5 tonnes of recyclables from the public, especially residents from Taman Permata, Taman Sri Pekan Baru and Taman Permatang Mawar. Month August September October November December January Amount (Kg) 1988.10 1395.20 759.50 948.00 nil 3429.30 Total Recyclables Collected (kg) at the Community 3R Centre from August 2008 to January 2009 Scrap Paper (94%) Scrap Metal (3%) Scrap Plastic (3%) Scrap Aluminium Cans (0%) Type of Recyclables Collected for the Period of August 08 - January 09 15
A downward trend of recyclables collected was observed from August to October 2008. This was probably due to the sharp decrease in market price for the recyclables during this period due to the global economy downturn. However, it began to pick up again with the highest volumes recorded in January 2009 which was around 3.4 tonnes. On the other hand, the total recyclables collected from the four buy-back campaigns (March, June, September and October 2008) was around 8.8 tonnes, a slightly higher volume compared to the amount collected at the community 3R centre. This result indicates that the buy-back campaigns were more effective in terms of amount of recyclables collected than the 3R centre, probably due to the convenience (as compared to the 3R centre, which may be located too far from some of the involved communities). The limited operating hours of the 3R centre could be another reason of lower amount being collected. Amount (kg) 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 3,284.2 2,454 2,370 687 March June Sept Oct Month Total Recyclables Collected (kg) from the Buy-Back Campaigns from March to October 2008 16
Reduced Volumes of Landfill Waste Graph below shows the trend of the quantity of waste received at the TP Keledang Landfill. It is difficult to relate the reduction to the amount of waste collected from this project as the amount of recyclables collected were not significant. However, the waste amount seems to have reduced especially after the official launching of the centre and the organisation of various campaigns. This may indicate the successful generation of awareness (see below) which may have encouraged public at large to collect and store recyclables instead of disposing them. Quantity of waste (tonne/month) collected from TP Keledang (Jun 07-Dec 08) Quantity of waste received (tonne / month) 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Campaign Campaign Launching y = 2.5131x + 704.45 Campaign JUN JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAC APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 2007 2008 Month Volume of Waste Disposed to the Landfill from June 2007 to December 2008 17
Increased Awareness and Participation The surveys conducted before and after the project implementation show that the level of awareness and participation in 3R activities among the residents have improved tremendously. Before Project / After Project Awareness on 3R Participation in 3R activities Knowledge on source separation at home 79 % 90 % 11 % 92 % 35 % 94 % Level of Awareness and Participation in 3R Activities The survey also revealed that 94% of the residents do separate waste at home after the project implementation which was an extremely high participation rate. This indicates that the project has successfully provided an impact on the behaviour of the interviewees. Improved Environmental Conditions Among the project beneficiaries, the community residents receive the most benefits. Environmental conditions in the selected communities have changed considerably. The cleanliness of the environment is improved since almost all recyclables and other waste were removed from the drains, parks, etc. 18
Improved Social Bonding Throughout the project, the residents from Taman Permata, Taman Sri Pekan Baru and Taman Ketapang Mawar have been very proactive when taking part in the collection days held in the community 3R centre. The centre has become a social platform for the residents to participate in community 3R activities. This kind of platform has made it possible to communicate with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling. Public, Community and Private This project demonstrates an interesting working model for smaller LA, business enterprise and residents to join forces for the establishment and operation of a community 3R centre in a smaller town. MDP coordinates with the communities to provide the community 3R centre. The communities take on the responsibility of operating the centre and arrangements are made between the communities and the recycling agent concerning the sales of buy-back recyclables. This triangle relationship among public, private and community sectors was established in an equitable manner that may lead to increased efficiency and good governance. 19
OPINIONS Overall, the project was very well received amongst the stakeholders. The following are some of their views. Mr. Zamri bin Omar Secretary of MDP I think 3R helps to keep our town clean, our environment green, our air fresher, and our life healthier and better. Mdm. Cheam Siew Kan Assistant Environment Health Officer MDP Mr. Ismailudin bin Sulaiman Secretary of KRT Taman Permata Mdm. Rosnani binti Salim Resident of Taman Pekan Baru This successful project should be duplicated to other suburban communities in our council area! The residents are very supportive, especially the kids. They get so excited. I see them collecting the plastic bottle and aluminium cans from the playground and sell them to the centre. Not to mention that my kampung (village) looks cleaner than before. I never knew I could recycle shampoo container and other plastic stuff until MDP and KRT came up with the community 3R centre. Now, I keep reminding myself and my kids not to throw them into the dustbin because plastics can pollute the environment. Mr. Teh Koh Seng Recycling agent I have collected more recyclables now with the centre than before with only the door-to-door collection. 20
CHALLENGES AND LESSONS Despite the apparent success of the project, the team project has faced several challenges. Inconsistent Recyclables and Market Until now, the operation of community 3R centre is subsidised in many ways via the Malaysia-DANIDA Community Initiatives programme. During the implementation, the revenues generated from the sales of recyclables are able to cover the expenses for maintaining the facility, compensating the caretakers and supporting activities conducted by the KRT. However, the centre may find it difficult to sustain if the volumes and sales of the recyclables collected is not consistent. Access to 3R Centre The location of the centre at Taman Permata is not easily accessible to the residents with no transports, particularly those who reside in Taman Sri Pekan Baru and Taman Ketapang Mawar. There may be a need to establish similar community 3R centre at each residential area if the collection volume continues to grow. A major challenge that the communities and MDP will have to overcome is finding additional space for setting up the community 3R centre. Inadequate Operation Time Another lesson learnt is on the opening frequency of community 3R centre. Many residents felt that once a week and three hour operation was not sufficient. Apart from this, the inconsistent collection schedule of the recycling agent has caused storage problems at the centre, especially during the festive and monsoon seasons. The communities should arrange a more firm schedule with the agent to avoid any backlog of recyclables stored at the centre. Continuous Awareness Raising The project may not be able to sustain if the awareness activities are not repeated on a regular basis. The communities must be sensitised and stimulated to join, not only as the customers but also the operators of the centre. Media and press should be utilised regularly. Step-by-step, the communities should expand its responsibility to handle more solid waste activities and/or other awareness and outreach projects. In the mean time, the community leaders and the local municipal staff will need further capacity building in various fields, e.g. mobilisation of public participation, market development for recyclables and sustainable development to continue implementing the project and beyond. Finally, the project will have to increase the scope of activities such as expanding the list of collectable recycled items, increase the capacity and organise more outreach activities at the community 3R centre as a way to sustain the public interest. 21
The Way Forward I am very pleased with the success of the project and I believe they can be replicated across the states. It is a great way to work with the communities and private businesses on reducing, reusing and recycling the types of items most would not normally consider recyclable, said Yang Berhormat Dato Haji Abdul Basik bin Mohd Sah, YDP, MDP. As YDP points out sustainability of the community 3R centre is a key for providing an effective and continuous service that satisfies the needs of the communities. How to sustain and replicate the successes? The most frequently raised question is financing. The revenue received for recycled items may be able to support the operational costs of the centre and organising 3R events. However, to enhance and develop a more firm financing, it would be advantageous. Support from LAs could be an option but there is also a growing trend for private sector involvement in community initiatives for SWM. For any 3R project, community participation and consultation in 3R and collection, pricing of recyclables, cost recovery and sitting of 3R facilities are crucial to the sustainability and replication of achievements. Organisational framework also plays an important role in the management of the community 3R centre. A strong organisation where the roles and responsibilities of the organisers, caretakers, communities, local officials and private sector are clearly specified is able to plan, mobilise resources and implement activities effectively. Finally, capacity building of the stakeholders should continue to ensure the knowledge and skills of managing the community 3R centre is preserved and at the same time, enhanced. Some of the ways of increasing one s capacity are through training, exchange programme with other community initiatives, workshop or conference. Although the management issue of solid waste varies from one community to another, a successful establishment of a community 3R centre would not be possible without considering all the above issues. 22
Bibliography Local Government Department, Ministry of Housing and Local Government, 2005. National Strategic Plan for Solid Waste Management. Malaysia. MDP-DANIDA, 2008. Community 3R Centre to Increase Public Participation in Solid Waste Management in Pekan District Council: Final 3R Campaign Report. Malaysia. Unpublished. MDP-DANIDA, 2008. Community 3R Centre to Increase Public Participation in Solid Waste Management in Pekan District Council: Final Report of Survey on Public Awareness and Participation in 3R. Malaysia. Unpublished. MDP-DANIDA, 2009. Community 3R Centre to Increase Public Participation in Solid Waste Management in Pekan District Council: Final Report of Post Survey on Public Awareness and Participation in 3R. Malaysia. Unpublished. MDP-DANIDA, 2009. Community 3R Centre to Increase Public Participation in Solid Waste Management in Pekan District Council: Final Report. Malaysia. Unpublished. Omran, A., Mahmood, A., Abdul Aziz, H. & Robinson, G.M., 2009. Investigating Households Attitude toward Recycling of Solid Waste in Malaysia: A Case Study. Int. J. Environ. Res., 3(2):275-288, Spring 2009 UNEP, 1996. International Source Book on Environmentally-Sound Technologies for Municipal Solid Waste Management: IECT Technical Publication Series 6. New York. 23
Appendix I: List of Taskforce Committee Members Name Designation Organisation 1. Mr. Zamri bin Omar Project Leader Secretary, MDP 2. Mdm. Cheam Siew Kan Team Member Assistant Environmental Health Officer, MDP 3. Mdm. Alina binti Daud Team Member Assistant Accountant, MDP 4. Tuan Haji Shariffudin Team Member Councillor, MDP bin Ahmad 5. Mr. Mohd Uyop bin Team Member Chairman, KRT Taman Permata Abdul Aziz 6. Mr. Ismailudin bin Team Member Secretary, KRT Taman Permata Sulaiman 7. Mr. Azmi bin Mohamad Team Member Chairman, Taman Sri Pekan Baru Noor 8. Mdm. Wan Khamar Wan Team Member Representative, Taman Ketapang Mawar Hasbullah 9. Mr. Mat Yusoof bin Team Member Caretaker, Community 3R Centre Yaakub 10. Mdm. Rosnani binti Salim Team Member Caretaker, Community 3R Centre 11. Mr. Ahmad Hamidi bin Team Member Alam Flora Sdn. Bhd Hassan 12. Mr. Amran bin Sidek Team Member Deputy Police, Pekan District Police Office 13. Ms. Chen Saw Ling Consultant Perunding Uras d.s 14. Ms. Chang Siaw Yen Consultant Perunding Uras d.s 24