Sarawak is preparing to overhaul its waste management strategy with a master plan designed to guide policy and infrastructure through 2050, signaling a shift from landfill dependence toward resource recovery and circular economy practices.
Due for completion by the end of 2025, the plan will set long-term priorities for waste reduction, recycling, and energy conversion, according to Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh.
Speaking at the launch of the 12th Sarawak Premier Environmental Award (PSEA) 2025/2026, Len Talif emphasized that the framework aims to “minimise environmental impact while maximising resource recovery.” The state’s approach focuses on curbing waste generation at the source, promoting reuse, and scaling up solid waste management infrastructure. Two waste-to-energy (WtE) plants are slated for construction by 2026, positioning thermal conversion as a key component of Sarawak’s waste strategy.
Pilot projects are already testing bio-based alternatives to conventional disposal. In Lubok Antu, oil palm kernel residues are being processed into biomass, animal feed, and biofuel, reflecting the state’s interest in extracting value from agricultural byproducts. Officials are also assessing the feasibility of producing hydrogen from livestock waste—an initiative aligned with Sarawak’s broader ambitions in renewable hydrogen and low-carbon fuels.
Public participation will be critical to meeting the plan’s objectives, particularly in source separation and recycling practices, Len Talif noted. He framed community engagement as integral to the state’s Post-COVID Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which links environmental stewardship with sustainable growth. The PSEA, he added, serves not only to honor exemplary environmental initiatives but also to foster a culture of accountability and innovation across industries and local authorities.
The master plan arrives as Sarawak works to strengthen its regulatory and technical capacity to manage a growing volume of municipal and industrial waste. By embedding recycling, WtE, and bioresource recovery into long-term policy, the state aims to reduce landfill pressures, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and attract investment in green technologies that can scale beyond pilot projects.
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