Does The Inefficient Waste Management Lead To The Pollution Of Klang River, Malaysia?

The study focused on waste management in the Klang River with the objective of assessing whether inefficient waste management is contributing to the pollution of the Klang River. The objectives of the study included identification of current waste management problems, collection of stakeholders’ opinions on waste categories, public survey on the effectiveness of existing waste management, and practical recommendations to reduce waste and achieve integrated waste management. The findings of the study revealed that most of the pollution originated from poor household waste management, with plastics being the most common waste in the Klang River. Respondents noted that the solid waste problem remains serious despite ongoing river clean-up projects such as the River of Life. The survey also revealed that there is insufficient public awareness on waste management, especially on waste segregation and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3R) practices. It was finally concluded that inefficient waste management is indeed the main cause of pollution in the Klang River. In order to improve waste management, it is necessary to raise public awareness of environmental protection, improve communication between the government and the public, and implement waste segregation at source. At the same time, policymakers should take steps to promote wider waste management reforms.