Community-based municipal solid waste management system on Pulau Mantanani: Strategies, challenges and possible solutions

Hasim, Diana & Fatta, Adzmin & Rifai, Nadhirah & Chelliah, Alvin & Hyde, Julian & Chen, Sue. (2026). Community-based municipal solid waste management system on Pulau Mantanani: Strategies, challenges and possible solutions. SciEnggJ. 19. 90-96. 10.54645/202619SupJIJ-42.

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ABSTRACT

The amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in Malaysia has risen steadily in the past few decades. MSW management, particularly in small island communities, is a major challenge faced by local authorities. In Malaysia, MSW management involves the participation of multiple government bodies from the federal to the state and local levels, either directly or indirectly. A study conducted by Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) in 2017 found that there was no system for MSW management on Pulau Mantanani, Sabah. In response, RCM collaborated with government bodies and local stakeholders to test several strategies aimed at improving MSW management on the island. Between 2019 and 2024, Pulau Mantanani generated an average of 169 kg of MSW per day. The largest waste component was food waste, followed by non-recyclable plastic waste, with glass and metal making up the smallest proportion. To implement the MSW management strategies, a total of 23 local islanders have been hired on a part-time basis. The current system, while adequate and viable in the short term, has successfully prevented more than 212 tonnes of MSW from polluting the island’s environment and ecosystems, long-term sustainability remains uncertain. Even so, the project demonstrates that community-based MSW management can be an effective approach in remote areas such as Pulau Mantanani, where local authorities are unable to manage MSW directly.