Unsurprisingly, the country has almost run out of landfills – most of which are deemed unsanitary to begin with, as they aren’t engineered to prevent waste and toxins from leaching into the environment.
Even worse, all that solid waste eventually generates greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
While this scenario might seem bleak, the good news is that organisations such as Zero Waste Malaysia are fighting tirelessly to protect Mother Nature.
Established in 2016, the non-profit advocates sustainable living and ecological responsibility. To that end, it has launched Trashpedia, a “trash encyclopaedia” that serves as a guide on garbage segregation and zero-waste alternatives.
About 300 people from all walks of life attended the launch at The School in Jaya One, Petaling Jaya, on Earth Day last Saturday.
The event kicked off with a panel discussion on environmental awareness among the community, featuring Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran, actress and zero-waste advocate Sharifah Sofia, and Trashpedia content developer Sabrina Hoong.
In addition to a mini zero-waste exhibition, games, and t-shirt silkscreen stamping, the launch featured a 3m-tall art installation made of trash items by the art collective co2_karbondioksida.
The husband-and-wife team have been creating artwork with waste materials for the past three years to highlight how overconsumption and lack of awareness can impact the planet.
Recycling 101
At the launch, Hoong said Trashpedia was created “in an effort to fill the informational gap so the community can be more well equipped in their zero-waste routines”.
Indeed, it’s no secret that not many Malaysians are well-informed when it comes to recycling. It’s not as simple as chucking your trash into a recycling bin – the different components of an item need to be separated beforehand.
The items should also be emptied out and rinsed before being thrown, to prevent contamination and to increase recycling rates.
Thankfully, Trashpedia provides a comprehensive guide on how one can go about separating one’s trash. The interactive webpage has highly detailed information on how to recycle 101 common items, from coffee cups, delivery packaging and “ikat tepi” drinks, to disposable gas lighters and mouthwash bottles.
Globally, only a very small number of items that are thrown into recycle bins actually get a new lease of life. Apart from unclear labelling and dirty or contaminated items, many are made from mixed materials that make them unrecyclable.
There is also a general shortage of recycling facilities, compounded by the fact that, oftentimes, it is cheaper to manufacture items than to recycle them.
Furthermore, things like plastic can only be recycled two to three times before its quality decreases to the point it can no longer be used.
Recycling, therefore, is a solution but not the end all be all; the better choice would be to opt for zero-waste alternatives whenever possible. Trashpedia provides plenty of suggestions – simply click on each item in the “101 Trash” section to read more.
More recyclables will be added to the list in future, and there are plans for a multilingual interface.
In addition, resources are available on the Zero Waste Malaysia website, such as handbooks on zero-waste practices in the office or during events, as well as lesson plans for the classroom.
The site also lists various zero-waste stores and services available in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
Those who would like to find out even more about sustainable living can check out the Zero Waste Malaysia Facebook group for tips and discussion. Every little bit counts and, collectively, humans can create a positive impact on the environment.
Start using Trashpedia now. Also visit Zero Waste Malaysia’s website here, as well as Facebook and Instagram profiles.