Solid waste management in Malaysia and ecological modernization theory perspective

This paper addresses the evolution, nature and appropriateness of the national waste management system in Malaysia in terms of its capability to meet sustainability goals. It does this by adopting the concept of ecological modernisation as a reference for analysing the policy and institutional structures that control waste management and sustainability policy. It examines the relevance of the institutional dimension of the ecological modernisation theory to the Malaysian context and non-western countries generally, and to the particular characteristics of the waste management system. The nature of waste generation, flow and management is outlined and found to be complexed. The methodology reflects this complexity by investigating the institutional organisations and by testing the understandings and attitudes to sustainability and action of all the actors in the waste management system namely policy makers, local authorities and individuals. In this study, the theory of Ecological Modernization is found to be a partially satisfactory approach toexplaining the policy and institutional organisations but it does not in Malaysia provide answers for future policy intervention or indeed readily identify the direction of previous policy development. The National policy system of Solid Waste Management (SWM) in Malaysia needs a transformation of institutional structures and role of government to deliver sustainability policy of Solid Waste Management (SWM). Thus, in order to deliver sustainability national policy of solid waste the Malaysian government has to take some actions to shift the institutional structures of Solid Waste Management (SWM) and improve the Solid Waste Management (SWM) system in Malaysia. The role of government has to become more open and flexible to deal with complexity social of Solid Waste Management (SWM) in modern societies. The government also should consider waste management as one of its target field in the policy for sustainable national development. To set up a national waste policy and guidelines, sustainable approach and commitment should be introduced in Malaysia.