I
t may sound almost impossible when someone says they want to practise a zero-waste lifestyle.
“How can we do that? We throw rubbish every single day.”
Waste management remains one of the biggest environmental challenges today as globally, tens of millions of metric tonnes of plastic and solid waste are generated annually, 10 times more than a century ago, according to World Bank researchers.
Malaysia is no exception. According to waste management company Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, Malaysians produce about 38,000 tonnes of waste per day, most of which ends up in more than 100 landfills nationwide.
In Kuala Lumpur alone, the 2,500 tonnes of waste the nation’s capital produces per day, as of October 2025, could fill up the Petronas Twin Towers in only one week.
Zero waste refers to a philosophy and lifestyle that aims to minimise the amount of waste generated by individuals, businesses and society as a whole.
The goal is based on the 5Rs, namely reduce, reuse, recycle, repair and rot (or compost), to ensure waste is diverted away from landfills, incinerators, oceans or any other part of the environment.
The strategy, focused on waste prevention rather than managing waste at the end of its lifecycle, adopts a holistic approach aiming for a significant transformation in how materials circulate within society, ultimately leading to the elimination of waste.
Malaysians produce about 38,000 tonnes of waste per day,
SHIFTING MINDSETS, ONE SMALL STEP AT A TIME
For English teacher Muhammad Asyraf Abdullah, 32, zero waste is achievable as long as one puts in the effort to practise it.
For him, it is already a good start if people simply bring a reusable bag when shopping or carry their own water bottle to school.
“Most of us know how to do it, but we give all sorts of excuses, such as being busy or lazy, because we assume it will take extra time.
“But if we begin with small efforts, they will eventually lead to bigger ones,” he told Bernama.
Environmental advocates believe the zero-waste lifestyle is neither unrealistic nor unattainable, especially with rising public awareness of planetary health and sustainable living.
Zero Waste Malaysia (ZWM) co-founder Khor Sue Yee said ‘zero’ is the ultimate goal, but no one has ever achieved true zero waste.
“Many assume the lifestyle is extreme, but it isn’t. We are simply trying to be kinder to the environment by taking steps to reduce what we throw away,” she said.
Zero Waste Malaysia (ZWM) co-founder, Khor Sue Yee (Pix credit to: Zero Waste Malaysia)
She said although the concept may sound ambitious, the effort itself does not need to be complicated.
“It is actually very simple because small steps make a difference,” she said.
For Khor, many people are ready to cut their waste, but she does not want them to fixate on taking giant leaps and then failing spectacularly.
“A zero-waste lifestyle is really about minimising our trash, making better choices, doing the best we can and buying less,” she said.
Ecological Association of Malaysia president Prof Dr Ahmad Ismail said Malaysians would begin reducing waste by practising the 3Rs, namely reduce, reuse and recycle, if they truly understand the severity of plastic pollution in the country.
He said plastic pollution is not only caused by imported waste but also by widespread local plastic dumping.
“Reducing waste in our daily lives may be more effective if new laws are introduced to curb plastic pollution,” he said, adding that Malaysia must also continue implementing its Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030 aggressively and systematically.
Local plastic dumping were found in a river
FROM HOUSEHOLDS TO SHOPPING MALLS
The zero-waste movement in Malaysia has gained traction in recent years, fuelled by efforts implemented by community-led organisations and environmental nongovernmental organisations, as well as government campaigns.
Local authorities and mall operators have reported incremental changes, including the use of biodegradable bags, better recycling points, improved waste segregation systems, reduced food waste and the recycling of used cooking oil.
Some vendors have begun offering incentives to customers who bring their own containers or bags, especially during festive shopping seasons when waste usually spikes.
It was reported recently that 17 shopping centres in the Klang Valley have committed to a 60 percent reduction in the waste sent to landfills through their participation in the Zero Waste Campaign for malls.
Local authorities and mall operators encourage the use of biodegradable bags among customers through campaigns
The campaign, by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in partnership with Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPKM), is aimed at enhancing environmental sustainability in the city and improving solid waste management.
DBKL and PPKM also signed a Letter of Action, which outlines the recommended measures to reduce waste within mall premises, including installing recycling facilities, using biodegradable packaging and encouraging vendors to adopt eco-friendly practices.
Speaking at a press conference at the launch of the Zero Waste Campaign on Dec 3, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the campaign builds on the Kuala Lumpur Zero Waste 2040 Roadmap launched in May this year.
“More than 2,000 metric tonnes of solid waste are generated in Kuala Lumpur every day, with management costs reaching up to RM220 million a year – a substantial amount borne by DBKL.
“Every tonne of unsorted waste means higher costs for the city and an ever-growing burden on the limited resources we must manage responsibly.
“Shopping malls play a highly significant role in this ecosystem and are, without a doubt, among the major contributors to waste generation,” she said.
PPKM president Phang Sau Lian highlighted the collaboration between DBKL and the malls in driving green practices and supporting the Kuala Lumpur Zero Waste 2040 goal.
“Some food and beverage centres remind patrons about food wastage, and there are other agencies that collect used cooking oil, develop apps to resell excess food at discounts and process food waste into animal feed and fertilisers.
“Most of the shopping malls provide segregated recycling bins and track the tonnage of recyclables versus general waste each month to measure how much waste is sent to landfills, and also monitor repurposing efforts through recycling partners,” she said.
CULTIVATING ZERO-WASTE HABITS
Meanwhile, sustainability and zero-waste practices are being cultivated in selected schools in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur through the Green Wira Programme (GWP) implemented by ZWM in 2023.
GWP is being implemented in collaboration with Yayasan Bursa Malaysia, Axiata Foundation, Amazon Web Services and PwC Malaysia, and endorsed by the Ministry of Education.
ZWM Education Programme manager Irene Chooi said so far 304 teachers and 1,200 student leaders have been trained throughout the entire GWP programme (cohort 1 and 2), while 9000 students have been indirectly impacted.
In GWP 2.0 alone, 692 student leaders from three seed funded schools - SJK (C) Pui Ying in Klang, SMK (P) Pudu in Kuala Lumpur and SMK Bandar Damai Perdana in Cheras have been trained to reduce waste in their schools, and they, in turn, have shared their knowledge on sustainability and zero-waste practices, she said.
Some useful products made by recycled items
Among the projects carried out under the GWP2.0 are the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at SJK (C) Pui Ying and SMK (P) Pudu, and the Organic Food Waste Management system using black soldier fly larvae at SMK Bandar Damai Perdana.
“The teachers and student leaders were trained through structured online lessons, expert-led webinars, in-person boot camps and personalised coaching sessions,” Chooi said.
She said the GWP also involves parents so that zero-waste efforts can be practised together at home.
“Students can adopt a zero-waste lifestyle at home when they learn from their teachers how to separate waste properly and reduce food waste by turning it into compost,” she said.
SMK (P) Pudu science teacher Ong Pui Yee, who led the school’s MRF project – under which an empty school building was turned into a ‘waste library’ – wants every one of her students to know the responsibility and impact of the small actions they take to safeguard the environment through sustainability education.
SMK (P) Pudu science teacher Ong Pui Yee (two from right), its principal Liow Miin Yi (right) and students during the Green Wira Programme by Zero Waste Malaysia. (Pix credit to Zero Waste Malaysia)
“By segregating the waste our students produce in school, we were able to divert 68 kg of recyclable waste from landfills from August to October (this year).
“Through GWP, I also learned that recycling is not the only way and not the long-term solution (to attain sustainability), but education is the key factor,” she said.
