Citation
Mohamed, Ahmad Fariz
(2007)
Development of an industrial toxic and hazardous waste management model based on end-of-pipe and industrial ecology approaches.
PhD thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Abstract
This study attempts to evaluate the existing industrial toxic and hazardous wastes
management systems in Malaysia and subsequently proposed a new model for enhancing
the efficiency and sustainability of the system. This includes analyzing the trends in
waste generation, industrial development, industrial production and waste recovery.
Evaluation and analysis of policy and management were focused on four main sectors,
namely, legislation, institutional, financial and technology (LIFT). Findings of evaluation
and analysis as well as other information gathered were used to determine issues and
gaps in managing wastes. Subsequently the study developed a model for a better
management system based on ex-ante Industrial Ecology model for industrial toxic and
hazardous waste management in Malaysia using ecosystem concept and approach within
the sustainable industrial development perspective.
Trend analysis has been conducted which includes the analysis of waste generation,
waste recovery, industrial development and industrial output. Malaysian industry generated 4.1 million metric tons of toxic and hazardous wastes from 1994 to 2003, with
an average of 418,230 metric tons per year. It appeared that the growth trend of
manufacturing in terms of production index and GDP contribution had a positive
correlation with waste generation prior to 1996 and after 1997. The management of
wastes in Malaysia could be categorized into three activities namely, treatment and
disposal, export to foreign countries, and waste recovery. The analysis of waste
distribution supported the suggestion for the ecosystem approach management. This is
due to the fact that increasing amounts of toxic and hazardous waste has been recovered
following the adoption of waste recycling and resource efficiency initiatives. The amount
of waste being recovered has doubled from 120,570 metric tons in 2000 to 250,260
metric tons in year 2003. In terms of percentage of waste recovery represented 34.99%
for 2000 and 54.30% for 2003, respectively of total wastes generated with estimated
value of RM 2.83 billion.
Further investigation and analysis has been performed to determine the applicability of
ecosystem approach for toxic and hazardous management in Malaysia. Policy and
management analyses were conducted to examine the importance of the factors based on
LIFT sectors. These identified factors were adopted as the main components towards the
development of an ex-ante Industrial Ecology model for a better toxic and hazardous
waste management in Malaysia. The model was created as an ecosystem encompassing
four habitats. Each of these habitats has its own role, function and service as well as the
networks between the habitats improves the ecosystem efficiency. Essentially the ex-ante
model ecosystem focused on managing the flow of waste as a resource with the main
target being to increase the cycle of waste to resources and to reduce the flow of
resources to waste. In essence it promotes more pro-active roles by industry and business and helps to enhance their environmental image thus increasing consumer confidence in
their products and therefore sales. The overall finding of the present study clearly
indicates that ecosystem approach proved to be useful. The benefits include
minimization of waste disposals to the environment, reduction of dependency on natural
resources such as land use for disposal sites and enhancement of efficient monitoring and
enforcement activity. Finally all these benefits would lead to increased benefits to
government and the society in terms of achieving sustainable industrial development in
Malaysia.
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