12.2 – Operational measures

12.2.6 – Policy for minimisation of disposable items

UKM has established a policy aimed at minimizing the use of disposable items across its campus. This policy aligns with national regulations and guidelines to promote sustainable waste management practices. Key aspects of UKM’s policy include:

1. The Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030

UKM uses the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 published by the Ministry Of Environment & Water, a comprehensive strategy to tackle plastic pollution and transition towards a circular plastics economy. This roadmap emphasizes recycling, reducing single-use plastics, eco-friendly design, extended producer responsibility (EPR), and public awareness to minimize plastic waste. By supporting this roadmap, UKM reinforces its commitment to reducing plastic waste, protecting aquatic ecosystems, and fostering a culture of sustainability on campus. This initiative not only minimizes pollutants but also raises awareness about the impact of plastic on marine life, inspiring students, staff, and the community to adopt practices that safeguard aquatic ecosystems for future generations. This roadmap also aligns with UKM Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030 (page 35).These actions reflect UKM’s dedication to reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices across the campus community.

The action plans outlined in the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 offer a framework that can directly support Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) policy for plastic minimization, aligning with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Here’s how each plan can be adapted and implemented at UKM:

1. Phasing Out Problematic Single-Use Plastics (SUPs): UKM can adopt this action by banning specific SUPs on campus, such as plastic straws, bags, and utensils. The university can work with vendors and food outlets on campus to ensure the transition to sustainable alternatives, supporting responsible consumption practices (page 42).
2. Mandating Sustainable Design: UKM can enforce sustainable packaging standards for all products sold on campus, requiring that packaging be recyclable or reusable. This would encourage campus suppliers and businesses to rethink product design, reducing waste generation and promoting resource efficiency (page 42).
3. Improving Plastic Recovery and Recycling Rates: By expanding recycling facilities and setting up designated plastic collection points, UKM can improve waste segregation and recycling rates on campus. Clear signage and campus-wide awareness campaigns could enhance participation and ensure proper recycling practices (page 43).
4. Increasing Demand for Recycled Materials: UKM can promote the use of recycled materials by incorporating recycled content into its campus products and merchandise. By prioritizing recycled materials in procurement, the university can support the circular economy and encourage similar practices among the campus community (page 43).
5. Training for SMEs: UKM can provide workshops and training for campus vendors on sustainable business practices, such as minimizing plastic usage and adopting circular economy principles. This can empower local businesses on campus to align with UKM’s sustainability goals (page 46).
6. Circular Economy Award: Introducing an award for sustainability efforts on campus can motivate vendors and departments to reduce plastic waste. This recognition can foster healthy competition and encourage innovative approaches to sustainability within the university (page 46).
7. PLASTICBUSTERS Program: UKM can launch a similar awareness program to educate students, faculty, and staff about reducing plastic use. Through workshops, seminars, and social media, the program can instill a culture of sustainability and responsible plastic use across campus (page 46).
8. INSPIRE Program: By sharing success stories of departments or individuals who have significantly reduced their plastic footprint, UKM can inspire the campus community. Highlighting these achievements can foster a sense of pride and motivate others to adopt sustainable practices (page 46).
9. Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA): Regular awareness campaigns on the impacts of plastic pollution, responsible consumption, and recycling practices can strengthen the community’s commitment to SDG 12. By integrating these efforts into university orientations and events, UKM can build a foundation of sustainability knowledge among students and staff (page 46).

By implementing these strategies, UKM can strengthen its policy on plastic minimization, create a more sustainable campus environment, and lead by example in responsible consumption and production. This aligns with the broader goals of SDG 12, promoting sustainable practices within the UKM community and beyond.

2. UKM Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030

The UKM Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030 includes initiatives aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices on campus, aligning with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). This plan emphasizes policies like waste separation in cafeterias, promoting reusable food containers, and encouraging the use of recycled materials, all of which contribute to minimizing disposable item usage​.

The UKM Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030 places significant emphasis on waste management as part of its Sustainable Campus pillar, aiming to reduce waste production, enhance waste management systems, and promote recycling and responsible consumption. Here are key aspects of UKM’s waste management approach (Page:35,41):

1. Food, Solid, and Toxic Waste Management: UKM has established guidelines for the separation of food waste at university cafeterias to ensure proper disposal and potential reuse. The cafeteria operators are involved in managing food waste separation, helping reduce waste that ends up in landfills.
2. UKM Recycle Center: To encourage recycling across the campus, UKM has upgraded its recycling facilities, engaging Faculties, Centers, Institutes, and Student Associations in recycling-related activities. This effort is part of a broader strategy to increase sustainability awareness and responsible waste practices within the campus community.
3. Waste Management Policies: UKM is committed to improving its overall waste management policies, covering solid and toxic waste disposal. By refining these policies, UKM seeks to develop a comprehensive waste management system that supports sustainability and reduces environmental impact.
4. Promotion and Awareness: The plan outlines efforts to increase awareness through sustainability programs and interventions. This includes working with student bodies to conduct campaigns and organize programs that promote sustainable waste practices.
5. Low Carbon Campus Initiative: As part of the goal to create a low-carbon campus, UKM has implemented policies to reduce single-use waste. This includes promoting the use of personal food containers among students and assigning sustainability ratings to cafeterias based on their waste management practices. Additionally, UKM encourages composting and the use of recycled materials, with targets to increase the use of compost by up to 50% and recycled materials by up to 15%.
6. Organic and Wet Waste Management: Specific mandates for food and wet waste management at Residential Colleges have been established, requiring sustainable handling as part of new tender offers. This is intended to reduce the capacity of waste disposal and lower the carbon footprint.
7. Professional Development: UKM also offers a Waste Management Professional Certificate in collaboration with industry, fostering expertise in waste management practices among students and professionals interested in sustainability.

These comprehensive measures reflect UKM’s commitment to achieving a zero-waste campus and fostering a culture of responsible consumption and production, which aligns with global sustainability goals and the campus’s broader environmental objectives​.

3.  National Solid Waste Management Policy 2016

UKM also implements the National Solid Waste Management Policy 2016 published by the Department of Local Government Development, which emphasizes the importance of waste reduction through the 3R hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This policy guides UKM’s approach to domestic waste management, ensuring compliance with government regulations and sustainability objectives. 

“Dasar Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal Negara” (National Solid Waste Management Policy) document outlines Malaysia’s strategic approach to achieving sustainable solid waste management. The policy aims to create an integrated, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solid waste management system that ensures public health and environmental preservation. It emphasizes the waste management hierarchy, prioritizing reduction, reuse, recycling (3R), intermediate treatment, and final disposal. This policy underscores a commitment to sustainable development by setting comprehensive guidelines and objectives for effective waste management across Malaysia.

The policy is based on six pillars:

• Waste Reduction: Promotes 3R practices to reduce waste generation at source.
• Efficient Resource Use: Encourages recycling of construction and other solid wastes.
• Comprehensive Waste Management: Focuses on planning, collection, treatment, and final disposal with the goal of diverting waste from landfills.
• Strengthening Governance and Regulation: Enhances laws and enforcement, including licensing and approvals for waste facilities.
• Public Awareness and Education: Raises public awareness on waste management and sustainable practices.
• Data and Capacity Building: Improves data management, research, and human resource development in the waste sector.

The policy enhances Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3R) practices at household, commercial, industrial, and institutional levels. Develop innovative methods to encourage recycling and focus on effective resource utilization specifically for construction waste.

4. Programs to minimize waste to landfill

Recycle Center UKM Bangi

The UKM Recycling Center (PKSUKM) was established in 2011 and has partnered with Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, a waste disposal company. It was built with the aim of managing solid waste in an integrated manner towards achieving the first Zero Waste Campus. PKSUKM was handed over to the Department of Infrastructure Development in 2016 until now to manage waste separation, recycling, composting and education as well as awareness for UKM staff, students and the local community.

UKM Recycling Centre (PSUKM) is a recycling facility where recycled products are collected, used, reused and sold on campus. Recycle-reuse-reduce programs and modules for UKM students and neighboring communities are also provided. UKM has a dedicated recycling center situated at the main campus that also serves the surrounding communities. The building itself is designed to be eco-friendly. The main purpose of the Recycling Center UKM Bangi is to reduce the organic waste that transfers to landfill.

The sale and purchase catalog of recycled materials at the Recycle Center, UKM Bangi. This catalog serves as a resource for managing and tracking recyclable materials available for purchase, encouraging sustainable waste management on campus. It includes detailed listings of materials, pricing and availability, supporting UKM’s recycling initiatives and promoting a circular economy within the university community.

The use of recycling bins in the campus

UKM practices a waste segregation policy with the use of recycling bins in the campus. 3R bins are available around UKM. The bins are placed at each building in UKM and are labeled according to the type of waste that must be segregated, which are: Cans,Paper, Plastic and Waste (food waste, etc).

Paper Recycling Effort by center of responsibility (PTJ)

Paper recycling is part of UKM sustainability efforts in order to recycle paper. Every center (PTJ) in UKM needs to be responsible for their own paper waste. The useless paper will be sold to the third party to be recycled. Besides contributing to the sustainable aspect they also can generate income.

Fabric Recycling

The Jom Fabrik recycling program aimed to educate the younger generation about the importance of recycling used fabrics while also being able to provide awareness to the community about the importance of recycling collaboration with Kloth Care. Kloth Cares is an environmental, economic, and social impact brand that aspires to become the catalyst of the textiles and clothing circular economy in Asia Pacific and Middle East. The highlight of this program was that citizens were invited to donate used fabrics into the donation bin. The fabric bin located in several location in UKM such as Mosque UKM

Environmental ecosystem exploration courses

The LMCP1522 – Environmental ecosystem exploration course at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) focuses on topics related to environmental science and management. Students will be exposed to activities related to the environment, especially recycling activities in residential areas. The course is open to all students at UKM Bangi for every semester.

EKSA UKM

EKSA began to be implemented at UKM, Bangi  in 2022 as a rebranding initiative for Public Sector 5S Practices taking into account the need to highlight a quality and conducive workplace environment at UKM. This rebranding step is thought to be appropriate and in line with the current changes and wishes to improve the performance and competitiveness of the organization in addition to invigorating the culture of creativity and innovation among the University’s people. One of the biggest objectives in EKSA is creating a conducive and sustainable university environment ecosystem.

LINK. One of the programs that is always done under EKSA is the recycling in office area program which indirectly provides a conducive and safe workplace.

Composting Center

The UKM Compost Site was established in 2011 and currently utilizes windrow composting as its primary method for solid waste treatment. Approximately 4 to 7 tons of yard waste and 0.3 to 1.5 tons of food waste are sent to this site for this purpose. The windrows composting process takes 6 weeks to 6 months to complete, transforming organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. However, due to the lengthy duration required for organic fertilizer production and the increasing volume of waste generated at UKM, an initiative has been undertaken to introduce a new solid waste treatment method. Thus, a pilot study on bio-drying will be conducted at the UKM Compost Site to enhance efficiency.

The composting process starts with gathering materials which are yard waste and food waste. The mixture will undergo a decomposition process that needs several conditions and moisture. Next, the workers will mix the mixture before undergoing the drying process. The composting process is shown below

After the drying process, the composting product will undergo a rolling process to produce a fine size of natural fertilizer product as shown in Figure 3.5.12. Composting product from organic waste to be sold and used for landscape fertilizer at UKM Bangi.

Next, the composting product will be used for landscape fertilizer in UKM Bangi as shown below

Anaerobic Digestion

Food waste is sent to anaerobic digestion treatment. Implementing anaerobic digester technology at UKM is a vital component of the university’s sustainable waste management strategy. This technology is designed to process approximately 8 kg of food waste daily by breaking down organic matter in an oxygen-free environment. The anaerobic digestion process generates biogas—a renewable energy source composed mainly of methane and carbon dioxide—that can be captured and utilized for heating, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, the digestion produces nutrient-rich digestate, which serves as an organic fertilizer, enriching campus gardens and agricultural areas. This dual benefit of energy production and waste reduction not only minimizes the environmental impact of food waste but also contributes to the university’s goals of sustainability and resource efficiency. The anaerobic digester project at UKM Bangi enhances research opportunities in renewable energy and waste management while demonstrating a commitment to innovative, environmentally friendly practices on campus.

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Bioconversion

UKM is also working to produce animal feed, fertilizer, biodiesel and biogas through the farming of Black Soldier Fly (BSF). The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology at UKM, launched in 2019, represents a significant advancement in sustainable waste management. This initiative focuses on converting organic waste, particularly food waste, into valuable products. The project collects food waste daily from two main cafeterias: Kolej Kris Mas and Pendeta Za’ba sent to treatment. By utilizing BSF larvae, UKM effectively reduces the volume of food waste sent to landfills while generating high-value by-products that support its sustainability goals. The BSF bioconversion process involves collecting food waste, placing it in controlled environments with BSF larvae, and allowing the larvae to consume the organic material. Within 14 days, the mature larvae are harvested for use as sustainable animal feed and protein supplements in aquaculture. The remaining frass serves as nutrient-rich organic fertilizer, completing the recycling loop.