Cultivating Composting Culture Activities among Citizens and Its Beneficial to Prolong the Landfill Lifespan

¹ Centre of Excellence for Biomass Utilization, Universiti Malaysia Perlis
² School of Environmental Engineering, Kompleks Pengajian Jejawi 3, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, 02600, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia.

^* Corresponding author: irnis@unimap.edu.my

Abstract

Currently, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government manage solid waste in Malaysia, with the participation of the private sector. Food waste represents almost 60% of the total municipal solid waste disposed in the landfill. Material valorisation of food waste usually conducted by biological processes such as composting. Compost, an organic amendment, is the final product of the composting process. These processes are efficient, low cost and environmentally friendly alternative for managing food waste and are used extensively worldwide. Therefore, organic solid waste management practices program for the communities in Perlis was conducted. The main objective of this program was to instilling environment awareness especially among Perlis citizens. This study was investigated the impact of food waste or kitchen waste composting to the citizens in Perlis State and the beneficial of compost fertilizer to our environment especially in plant growth. Composting method was taught to the food premises owner, individuals, teachers, and students and their responses to the composting practices were then summarized. In future, we can prolong our landfill lifespan by practicing organic waste composting and can preserving our environment.