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Food waste handling in Malaysia and comparison with other Asian countries

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 International Food Research Journal 23(Suppl): S1-S6 (December 2016)
Journal homepage: http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my

Mini Review
Food waste handling in Malaysia and comparison with other Asian countries

1
Lim, W. J., 1*Chin, N. L., 1Yusof, A. Y., 2Yahya, A. and 3Tee, T. P.

Department of Process and Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,

1

Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

2
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
3
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia,
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Article history Abstract

Received: 20 July 2016 The increasing amount of food waste in Malaysia in recent years has brought many environmental
Received in revised form: issues in the country where it affects the nation’s solid waste management framework. At the
4 October 2016 moment, the government is limited to other alternatives of food waste disposal besides the
Accepted: 5 October 2016
conventional landfill and incineration methods. This paper provides information on the current
status of food waste handling, management, regulations, and policies in Malaysia. It helps
Keywords to draw the problem and challenge to a clearer view in efforts of achieving sustainable and
integrative food waste handling in the country.
Anaerobic digestion
Asian Countries
Composting
Food waste
Malaysia
© All Rights Reserved

Introduction high energy usage and technology. Incineration

method is rarely applied for food waste treatment as
Food waste is discarded on a daily basis due it creates air pollution (Zhang et al., 2014). Both of
to living nature of human beings via agricultural, these methods are unsustainable for managing food
industrial and domestic activities. Generally, food waste as they bring significant environment impacts.
waste sources can be sorted into three groups which Therefore, there is a need to have a cost effective
are food losses, i.e. food materials lost during and environment friendly food waste handling and
preparation, processing and production phases in management system.
the food supply chain, unavoidable food waste, In Malaysia, the authority is facing strenuous
i.e. the inedible parts of food materials lost during challenges in food waste handling and treatment. Food
consumption phase (pineapple peel, fruit core, waste imparts the current environmental issue due to
etc) and avoidable food waste, i.e. the edible food its improper separation with municipal solid waste
materials that were lost during consumption phase and that it attributed to the production of greenhouse
(surplus and wastage) (Thi et al., 2015). gases in landfills. Thi et al., (2015) reported that
Food waste disposal is categorised under disposal food waste might emit greenhouse gases that bring
of solid waste, which under the Malaysia Solid negative impacts to climate changes. To increase
Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 general awareness, campaigns like the 3R (Reduce,
(Act 672), it can be any methods from destruction, Reuse and Recycle) through education and incentive
incineration, deposit or decomposing (Ngapan et al., policy have been implemented. A good food waste
2012). Landfill and incineration are the more common management will help to reduce food waste amount
methods for food waste disposal. Landfill is a general efficiently. This paper draws information on food
and widely accepted method for managing food waste status in Malaysia and regional countries which
waste as it is cost effective and simple to be applied. include current issues like knowledge, practices
However, food waste management via landfill has and regulations. The adoption of good food waste
become more difficult as many landfills have reached management in developed countries could be taken
their capacity in Malaysia (Moh and Manaf, 2014). as model in the process of development of successful
Contrarily, incineration method is costly and requires food waste management policies.

*Corresponding author.
Email:[email protected]
S2 Lim, W. J. et al. /IFRJ 23(Suppl): S1- S6

Generation of food waste brought positive effect to food waste management

Food waste is a putrescible and recyclable strategies (Abdul, 2010; Thi et al., 2015), but food
material in dominant composition of 40% to 64% waste management is still under development due
in municipal solid waste in Malaysia as shown in to inadequate fund for food waste management
Table 1 for years 1975 up to 2005 as representative works (Alzahrin, 2010). The number of food waste
of the trend of waste composition with absence of recycling and reduction activities are also low as lack
newer data. Malaysia with a population of more than of participation from the public (Moh and Manaf,
30 million in 2014 produced up to 8,000 tonnes of 2014).
food waste in a day (The Sun Daily, 2014), which The National Strategic Plan for Food Waste
increase is 760% from 930 tonnes/day of food waste Management in Malaysia (NSPFWMM) was planned
in year 2011 (The Star, 2013a). The reasons of this and proposed by the Ministry of Housing and Local
escalating quantity of food waste are because of the Government of Malaysia with collaboration with the
changes in eating habits as living standards have Japan government’s Ministry of the Environment in
improved through the years where people can afford 2010. It contains six main strategies (Table 2) which
more food products than before (Abdul, 2010) and aim to inculcate public with a good habit of food
the rapid population expansion and urbanisation waste disposal including food waste segregation for
(Zamali et al., 2009). The expanding population in reducing greenhouse gases emission and reducing
the country has contributed to the enormous food land utilization. In 2015, it was reported awareness
waste increment. At present, it is observed that the and responsibility of segregating food waste from
rate of food waste reuse and recycle is relatively low other wastes for every household resident in the states
(5%) in comparison with paper (60%) and plastic of Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis,
(15%) (Moh and Manaf, 2014). Unlike paper and Kedah and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and
plastic, there is no specified disposal method for Putrajaya following the Solid Waste Management
food waste in the country. Consequently, food waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (The
source separation is limited and composting of Star, 2014). This was a good start for every resident
food waste is not practised at larger scale (Moh and to take responsibility in the sophisticated handling of
Manaf, 2014). The fact that over 90% of food waste food waste in alignment of coherent efforts from the
is biodegradable (Abdullah and Chin, 2010) and easy government. The commitment from the government
to recycle, the awareness of recycling and food waste in food waste management is viewed as a paradigm
reduction among Malaysians is still poor. As such, it shift from a conventional food waste disposal model
may be described that Malaysia still has a long path to a sustainable food waste management framework.
to go in handling food waste issues until a successful The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MBPJ)
food waste management is established (Zamali et al., has a high initiative in launching several food waste
2009). management programs under Agenda Petaling
Jaya 21 in alleviating food waste issues in Petaling
Efforts in managing food waste in Malaysia Jaya. The MBPJ has a significant achievement in
The food waste management and policy for food waste treatment with strong supports and fund
food waste treatment is considered less efficient in assistants from the National Solid Waste Management
the country due to limited budget for food waste Department (MBPJ, 2010). The program of home
management (Thi et al., 2015). The information composting with food waste was implemented
of food waste management is restricted due to no among household community by MBPJ in June
regular and periodic analysis and documentation at 2008 to November 2009 (MBPJ, 2010). In 2013,
national level from any local authorities, resulting the MBPJ has established a pilot scale composting
in inaccurate database (Nasir et al., 2000; Moh and facility in association with Shence Greentech Sdn
Manaf, 2014). Despite several efforts introduced Bhd (The Star, 2013b). The food waste treatment
publicly at national level such as the National Solid model by MBPJ probably could be a model for other
Waste Management (2002-2020) (MHLG, 2006), councils in Malaysia. At research capacity, local
National Recycling Program (2000-2005) (MHLG, tertiary institutions such as Universiti Malaya and
2006), and Waste Minimization Master Plan (2005) Universiti Putra Malaysia have set up a pilot scale
(MHLG, 2006), food waste treatment strategy was food waste digester (Cowtech CTM-100, CH Green
less sustained due to existing waste management Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) which is able to
practice did not improved significantly. Although process food waste into liquid fertilizer and biogas at
Solid Waste and Public Cleaning Management Act a capacity of 100kg/day for its Zero Waste Campaign
2007 was promulgated to emphasize 3Rs, which (The Star, 2015) and efforts towards sustainable
agricultural farming, respectively.
 Lim, W. J. et al/IFRJ 23(Suppl): S1 - S6 S3

Nature-friendly food waste handling methods practises composting to utilise food waste to produce
The more prominent and nature-friendly food bio-fertiliser through their national program named
waste handling methods include composting, “Total Recycling for Kitchen Garbage” (Chang et al.,
anaerobic digestion or animal feeding. These 2008; Chen et al., 2008). In Thailand, 15% of food
are possible options of sustainable food waste waste from municipal solid waste was decomposed
management system which are suitable for future into bio-products such as biogas and bio-fertilizer
implementation in Malaysia instead of incineration (Pollution Control Department, 2010). However, it is
or landfill which pose detrimental effects to the noted that composting of food waste is less effective
environment (Thi et al., 2015). The discussion on in developing countries due to reasons of improper
incineration and landfill has been omitted in this segregation of food waste from other solid waste
article. and poor food waste management framework (Thi et
al., 2015). As a result, this causes predicament for
Composting investment in composting projects.
At research scale, food waste composting is
usually implemented through two different practises, Anaerobic digestion
which are the in-vessel system and the windrow Anaerobic digestion of food waste is a biological
system (Cekmecelioglu et al., 2005; Chikae et process involving biodegradation of putrescible
al., 2006; Kumar et al., 2010). Table 3 lists the organic substrate into biogas via four main steps,
differences between these two methods. The in- i.e. hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and
vessel system involves covering of food waste in methanogenesis (Zhang et al., 2014). Thailand
a closed system such as silo, drum, agitated bed, has a noteworthy implementation of food waste
closed or batch container for composting (Rudnik, anaerobic digestion technology. For instance,
2008). This system is an effective composting system Rayong municipality has established a full scale
instead of windrow system since it requires less area biogas plant utilising food waste which include
and offers a better management in term of gas and vegetable and fruit wastes coupled with night soil
leachate discharge (Cekmecelioglu et al., 2005). waste for producing biogas and electricity supply
This system also helps to reduce retention time of in rural areas (Juanga et al., 2006). In China, there
food waste in the mesophilic phase and thermophilic is no full scale developed and operational anaerobic
phase (Cekmecelioglu et al., 2005). Kim et al. food waste digestion plant yet but there are over
(2008) developed a pilot scale in-vessel system 20 national projects under development phase
for food waste treatment and suggested that ways comprising anaerobic digestion and composting of
essential effort is needed to improve the efficiency main substrates of food waste, manure and municipal
of this in-vessel system. The windrow system is an solid waste (Christian and Dubendorf, 2007). In spite
open composting system constructed in the form of a of many development project of food waste anaerobic
triangular pile. The optimum size of this pile is very digestion in India, most of the projects have been
subjective due to it is constraints of weather condition hampered due to technical failure, poor management
and physical properties of substrates. The base of and incomplete regulation and policy (Christian and
pile can be of any length from 2 to 6 m in width Dubendorf, 2007). Vietnam and Philippines have an
and 1 to 3 m in height as long as the pile achieves integrative technology where anaerobic digestion and
optimum condition for composting (Kulman, 1990). composting are combined for food waste reduction in
Cekmecelioglu et al. (2005) constructed a pile with landfill areas (Thi et al., 2015). In Sri Lanka, many
11 m length, 2.5 m width and 1.2 m height using small scale food waste anaerobic digestion plants are
the conventional layering and mixing methods. established through cooperation between government
However, leaching and odour problem occurred thus and non-government organisations (Christian and
this system is considered not environmental friendly Dubendorf, 2007).
although it is popularly practised in rural area as it is
an easy method and requires less capital cost. Animal feeding
Composting of food waste coupled with South Korea and Taiwan are countries which
municipal solid waste is extensively implemented in have great demand for animal feeds from food waste.
India which has more than 70 composting facilities It is legal to use up to 81% and 72.1% of food waste
(Ranjith, 2012). Every year, there are approximately in animal feed in the respective countries (Kim et
4.3 billion tonnes of compost produced from the al., 2011; EPA, 2013). Food waste as feedstock
food waste which stands at 5.9% of their municipal for animal feeding is not suitable in developing
solid waste in India. The Taiwan government also countries as loading and separation of food waste
S4 Lim, W. J. et al. /IFRJ 23(Suppl): S1- S6

from municipal waste is scarcely implement there. obstacles of incomplete legislations and policy,
In Malaysia, following FEED ACT (Act 698) (Law inadequate management, weak enforcement and
of Malaysia, 2009), not all food waste is suitable for lack of allocation budget (Thi et al., 2015). As food
use as animal feed for livestock except for the more waste issue will become more severe with time, it is
commonly practised of harvesting of carcass bone necessary to pay more attention to establish concrete
and egg shell. Food waste contribution on animal food waste strategies.
feed is mostly from bone meal, eggshell, sea shells
as they are major mineral supplement sources of Conclusion
calcium, phosphorus, etc.

Food waste generation in Malaysia is relatively

Policies and regulations of food waste high and may become severe problem in the future.
management As food waste is biodegradable and recyclable, it is
Many countries including Malaysia do not have a recommended that relevant institution or authorities
comprehensive food waste management framework put more focus on developing food waste reduction
although some of the frameworks are underway and recycling program. The current knowledge of
of planning and in development phases (Thi et al., food waste management, policies and regulation in
2015). Malaysia could probably adopt good models other countries could be used as preliminary model
of food waste management from other countries such for in our country in the process of the development of
as Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea in efforts a successful food waste management system, moving
of solving food waste generation problems. Table 4 from a conventional food waste disposal model to a
illustrates and compares the food waste management sustainable food waste management framework.
policies of selected countries.
Taiwan is an example of a country which is
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