Informal Recycling Activities in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia: Student Perspectives
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Date
2016-11-14
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Abstract
One of the major challenges in solid waste management in Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is how best to work with informal recycling sector to
improve efficiency in recycling. In order to find the best way to integrate the informal
and formal sectors of recycling in UKM, UKM needs to document, understand and
build on existing informal collection and recycling systems. However, base-line data
on informal recycling activities in UKM are non-existence. The purpose of this paper
is to discuss base-line data on informal recycling activities in UKM. Quantitative
survey method was employed to collect data on informal recycling activities in UKM,
and one hundred students responded to a set of questionnaire. Descriptive mean
and standard deviation were obtained. Reliability and validity were tested to approve
the variables used. The results of this paper indicated that according to students, the
informal recyclers in UKM were amongst the cleaning service workers with a mean
score of 3.18 compared to other categories of informal recyclers such as residential
college staffs (2.34), students (2.28), support staffs (2.15), cafeteria staffs (2.11),
academic staffs (2.04) and administrative staffs (2.03). Students clarified that
informal waste recycling collectors and collecting waste recycling parties were
itinerant waste buyers with the mean scores of 2.93 and 2.59, respectively. Students
also identified recycling micro and small enterprise (MSEs) as the main trading party
(2.96) compared to other parties. Materials collected by the informal recyclers in
UKM were mostly papers (3.37). Of all recyclables, paper was accumulated the most
with a range of volume between 5 to 9 kilograms per day. In addition, paper also
gain the highest in profit obtained which is from RM 11 to RM 19 per day. The
findings of this study form a basis of understanding on unacknowledged recycling
activities by informal recyclers in UKM.
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Keywords
Informal Recycling Activities, Students, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia