The influence of demographic variables on solid waste minimization : a case study of Shah Alam City, Malaysia

Abstract

With the increasing rate of urbanisation especially in developing countries, policy makers and planner s are faced with the challenge of sustainable solid waste management. The traditional method of waste management via landfills has some environmental and health challenges associated with it. Therefore, waste minimization through recycling, reusing and reducing the quantity of waste is one major way of achieving a sustainable solid waste management. This study investigates the influence of household attributes on waste minimization knowledge in Shah Alam city,Malaysia. Through a household survey, 100 respondents were randomly chosen from the three housing types (terrace, semi –detached, bungalow) in the study area. Findings from the study revealed that respondents’ knowledge on waste minimization was above average. However, the elderly and women tended to be more knowledgeable in terms of materials to be recycled and what the colour of each waste bin in the neighbourhood signifies.