When it started?

Throughout the history, actually humans never generated waste in a high amount.
Before, the human population is much low compared to nowadays and yet they does not have
the skills and knowledge to explore the natural resources to use in any industries. Natural
resources were consumed resulting in mostly ash and human waste. At those levels these by-
products were quickly and safely degraded back into the ecosystem. Wood or metal that have
been used in their daily were generally reused or passed down through the generations.
However there are some civilizations do seem to use different way to deal with the waste. In
particular, the Maya of Central America had a fixed monthly ritual, in which the people of the
village would gather together and burn their rubbish in large dumps

Then, the amount of waste generated continues to increase due to growing population and
increasing development. Modern lifestyle has led to more acute waste problems, convenience
products generally require more packaging, careless habits associated with greater affluence
lead to greater quantities of waste, as demonstrated by discarded wrappers from the inevitable
fast food outlet, and the modern day waste contains a higher proportion of non-degradable
materials such as plastics. The types of waste slowly change, hence the risks also changing
and become more dangerous. For example, today smartphone companies have to deal with
electronic waste (e-waste). If they do not manage properly, it can be harmful. The attitude of
people towards waste must also change. They should know the right way to dispose the
waste.

When the issues become significant to study?

At the early stage, incinerators were designed as a method of disposal. But this
primitive plants were however unpopular as they produced a lot of airborne ash. Landfill
soon became the preferred method of waste management. Basically burying the rubbish in a
big hole, this method is still used in our country. Using old unused quarries or open cast
mining sites landfill was seen as a relatively cheap solution. Badly designed and maintained
landfill can have some problems. Rats and mice all love landfill sites, windblown litter and
liquid toxins draining into the surrounding land are other problems.
In 1992 the World Bank has identified that waste is one of the three major environmental
problems faced by most municipalities in Malaysia. The amount of solid waste generated
went up from 17,000 tons per day in 2002 to 19,100 tons in 2005, an average of 0.8 kilogram
per capita per day. Currently, over 23,000 ton of waste is produced each day in Malaysia.
This amount is expected to rise year by year [7].

Realising the critical issue and standards of waste management in Malaysia are still
poor, our country develop many strategic plan in waste management. Since 2007
environmental awareness is building up within the Malaysian government as well as in
consumers’ minds. The government has adopted a National Strategic Plan for Solid Waste
Management with emphasis on the upgrading of unsanitary landfills as well as the
construction of new sanitary landfills and transfer stations with integrated material recovery
facilities. A new Solid Waste Management Bill was adopted by parliament in June 2007. The
bill is to drastically change the structure of solid waste management in Malaysia and to open
up for the development of a completely new business sector. New concessions on domestic
waste management will be introduced, as well as recycling, and handling of specific types of
solid waste like plastic, paper etc. is highlighted. Solid waste management is a priority area
under the 9th Malaysian Plan, as can be seen by the government setting up a Solid Waste
Department which is entrusted to enforce the Solid Waste Management Bill.

Until now, our county still develop and create many plans through many ministry as
environmental issues become ever more urgent such as pollution and the unsustainable
consumption of natural resources, waste disposal methods have had to advance with more
emphasis on reclaiming usable materials from rubbish. Turning what is left into energy using
several different technologies. The goal is to have as little as possible wasted.

The More You Know Waste Management. (2016). In 24/7 Waste Removal. Retrieved from
https://247wasteremoval.co.uk/blog/a-brief-history-of-waste-management/

A Brief History of Waste Management. (2016, May 15). Retrieved April 16, 2020, from
https://247wasteremoval.co.uk/blog/a-brief-history-of-waste-management/
Asmawati Desa, Nor Ba’yah Abd Kadir and Fatimah Yusooff (October 26th 2012).
Environmental Awareness and Education: A Key Approach to Solid Waste Management
(SWM) – A Case Study of a University in Malaysia, Waste Management - An Integrated
Vision, Luis Fernando Marmolejo Rebellon, IntechOpen, DOI: 10.5772/48169. Available
from: https://www.intechopen.com/books/waste-management-an-integrated-
vision/environmental-awareness-and-education-a-key-approach-to-solid-waste-management-
swm-a-case-study-of-a

(2012). In Environmental Awareness and Education: A Key Approach to Solid Waste Management
(SWM) – A Case Study of a University in Malaysia. doi: 10.5772/48169

Desa, A., Abd Kadir, N., & Yusooff, F. (2012, October 26). Environmental Awareness and Education: A
Key Approach to Solid Waste Management (SWM) – A Case Study of a University in Malaysia |
IntechOpen. Retrieved April 16, 2020, from https://www.intechopen.com/books/waste-
management-an-integrated-vision/environmental-awareness-and-education-a-key-approach-to-
solid-waste-management-swm-a-case-study-of-a