Chapter 9
Enhancing Role and Participation
of Industry and Community
for Sustainable E-Waste Recovery
for Sustainable Consumption
and Production (SCP): Case Study
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Ahmad Fariz Mohamed and Muhammad Izzat Rasnan
Abstract Malaysia rapid development has benefitted its people while continuously
gain better quality of life and are now demanding modern and high technology
lifestyle. For example, the subscription of hand phone and smartphone in 2004 was
12.3 million and increased to 42.3 million, while population of Malaysia in 2004 was
23,522,480 and in 2017 the population increased to 32,022,600. Life style and rapid
growth of electronic products consumptions accelerated the generation of E-waste
in Malaysia. The need to manage E-waste in a sustainable manner has created many
challenges. One of the challenges is to educate and make individual or community to
be more responsible and participate for sustainable E-waste management in Malaysia.
A sustainable E-waste recovery is important for sustainable consumption and production (SCP) of electronic products. For this purpose a study was conducted to understand the readiness of key stakeholders to support for efficient E-waste recovery
in Kuala Lumpur City. The study has identified key factors important for E-waste
recovery to ensure sustainable production and consumption of electronic products.
Survey was conducted with selected Kuala Lumpur community asking their understanding of E-waste and how they handle six types of E-waste namely televisions
(CRT and LED/LCD), refrigerators, washing machines, air-conditioners and desktop
computers. Almost 61% of the respondents understand the E-waste definition, and
aware of E-waste impacts towards the environment and human’s health. The practice
of E-waste recovery was found encouraging for the six E-wastes. The number of
respondents recover or recycle LED/LCD TV (43.3%), CRT TV (50.8%), refrigerators (45.8%), washing machines (48.4%), air-conditioners (49.1%) and desktop
computer (50.8%). Material flow analyses findings shows that there is a weakness
in collection system, retailers capability are underutilized, household attitude lead to
poor collections and low amount of household E-waste treated. While the strength
A. F. Mohamed (B) · M. I. Rasnan
Institute for the Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaaan Malaysia,
43600 Darul Ehsan Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
e-mail: fariz@ukm.edu.my
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_9
135
Enhancing Role and Participation
of Industry and Community
for Sustainable E-Waste Recovery
for Sustainable Consumption
and Production (SCP): Case Study
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Ahmad Fariz Mohamed and Muhammad Izzat Rasnan
Abstract Malaysia rapid development has benefitted its people while continuously
gain better quality of life and are now demanding modern and high technology
lifestyle. For example, the subscription of hand phone and smartphone in 2004 was
12.3 million and increased to 42.3 million, while population of Malaysia in 2004 was
23,522,480 and in 2017 the population increased to 32,022,600. Life style and rapid
growth of electronic products consumptions accelerated the generation of E-waste
in Malaysia. The need to manage E-waste in a sustainable manner has created many
challenges. One of the challenges is to educate and make individual or community to
be more responsible and participate for sustainable E-waste management in Malaysia.
A sustainable E-waste recovery is important for sustainable consumption and production (SCP) of electronic products. For this purpose a study was conducted to understand the readiness of key stakeholders to support for efficient E-waste recovery
in Kuala Lumpur City. The study has identified key factors important for E-waste
recovery to ensure sustainable production and consumption of electronic products.
Survey was conducted with selected Kuala Lumpur community asking their understanding of E-waste and how they handle six types of E-waste namely televisions
(CRT and LED/LCD), refrigerators, washing machines, air-conditioners and desktop
computers. Almost 61% of the respondents understand the E-waste definition, and
aware of E-waste impacts towards the environment and human’s health. The practice
of E-waste recovery was found encouraging for the six E-wastes. The number of
respondents recover or recycle LED/LCD TV (43.3%), CRT TV (50.8%), refrigerators (45.8%), washing machines (48.4%), air-conditioners (49.1%) and desktop
computer (50.8%). Material flow analyses findings shows that there is a weakness
in collection system, retailers capability are underutilized, household attitude lead to
poor collections and low amount of household E-waste treated. While the strength
A. F. Mohamed (B) · M. I. Rasnan
Institute for the Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaaan Malaysia,
43600 Darul Ehsan Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
e-mail: fariz@ukm.edu.my
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_9
135