Community’s Mindset Makes All the Difference to Waste Management

Clearing the city’s waste and keeping the city clean is never an easy task. Presently, the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of municipal waste for Kuching City and Bintulu are operated by Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn. Bhd. The company has close to 70 compactor trucks traversing the streets of both cities, operating a door-to-door collection method with over 200 drivers and loaders working on shifts.

The process is an integral part of the Integrated Solid Waste Management System, established about 10 years ago to improve and modernise waste management in the State. Through this system, citizens and business owners are also provided with free wheel bins of designated sizes, to store their waste temporarily prior to disposal.

 The standard collection frequency for households is twice a week while in commercial areas, the frequency are higher or fixed as daily, depending on the population and waste generation rate of the area. Trienekens is also supported by a group of sub-contractors, who are assigned to service different semi-urban and rural locations. Servicing a city like Kuching, for example, with a population of 600, 000 and growing, is labour and capital intensive and requires careful planning to ensure smooth service delivery.

 Trienekens developed a comprehensive logistics plan with standard operating procedures for the collection process. Various factors are meticulously considered such as the collection methods, distances, appropriate vehicles and receptacles, suitable collection hours, as well as the type, amount and site of waste to be collected and transported, besides also taking into consideration – costs, manpower involved and community participation.

 Part of Trienekens’ operations requires the company to be in constant communication with the relevant authorities. It participates in monthly meetings with Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), Kuching South City Council (MBKS), Padawan Municipal Council (PMC) and Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) respectively, to discuss and resolve any problems pertaining to services or public complaints under these Council jurisdictions.

 Clearly aware of the huge responsibility in the delivery of one of the vital sectors of public services, the company’s main priority is to provide prompt and quality services to all customers. According to Trienekens’ Director of Operations, Ms. Alice Lee, the company has been operating successfully and effectively though not without its set of challenges or setbacks.

 “Few understand the challenges that come with providing quality waste collection services to the public,” she explained. “We do our best to deliver a good job and we improve on areas within our capacity. Problems that arise are resolved through dialogues and cooperation with the local authorities and local community. Unfortunately, we occasionally get blamed for problems which are not directly related to our services. We usually assist by consulting or channelling such cases to the appropriate agencies.”

 There are numerous issues faced by a waste service provider like Trienekens. Each is unique, depending on factors such as geographical layout, infrastructure or human behaviour. Through public education, it is hoped that the public will better understand and appreciate the hard work put into clearing the city’s waste.

 Common Challenges in Waste Collection

One of the recurring issues or challenges faced during the waste collection process is the condition of interconnecting roads, which are commonly narrow and clutched by the rapid development in the surrounding area.

 Trienekens’ Division Manager for Logistics and Services (Kuching), Mr. Sarius Lee explained why due to such issues, entry by a refuse truck is either constrained or impassable in certain areas. “To collect the waste, we cannot help but temporarily block the movement of other vehicles, even while servicing the area during non-peak hours. Unless the roads are widened, this is the approach we have to take for now,” he said.

 

Congested layout due to unplanned development coupled with large and multiple households generating high volume of waste are also challenging for a waste collector.  “Our trucks cannot enter the narrow lanes or walkways of a ‘kampung’. If there are individual bins, our workers have to walk into the area, empty the bins into a larger bin and bring it out to the waiting compactor truck at the main road. This approach is time consuming and labour intensive,” he elaborated.

  Alternatively, the company jointly works on a retrieval system with the communities and relevant council, whereby individual bins in congested areas are brought out to the main road by the residents on collection day. However, this has created another problem for some areas because of the 20-50 units of 120-litre bins lining the side of the main road, potentially blocking moving traffic during the unloading progress. The best recommended option would be the provision of larger, communal bins placed at several designated collection points inside these areas, replacing individual household bins. Unfortunately, most residents find this method unpleasant and inconvenient and would rather dispose of their refuse elsewhere such as at nearby illegal dumping sites or river.

 While road conditions and physical layout of an area affects the accessibility by collection trucks, another problem faced is low hanging cables.  “Low hanging electric or telephone cables between roads or houses also pose as a threat to the safety of our workers and nearby households. We have to be extra careful when entering these areas to prevent any untoward incidents,” said Lee.

 In the city centre, the collection process is also affected by indiscriminate parking by road users. Commercial bins are usually located at the back lanes of shop houses. When a vehicle is parked indiscriminately – blocking the entry, it is taxing for the collection team to drag out fully loaded bins, especially when the bins are filled with wet waste.

While the company places communal bins in commercial centres and villages with limited road access for public convenience, these bins are also exposed to risks of being vandalised.

 Vandalism of communal property, including vandalism to waste receptacles is a growing social concern throughout the State. Every year, both city authorities and Trienekens suffer losses due to vandalism – in Trienekens’ case, bins have been known to be vandalised, burnt or damaged. “The cost is not something we can afford on a long-term basis and while we do not intend to pass it on to the public, it may be inevitable as a form of compensation, enforcement or deterrent imposed to prevent these incidents. If we keep on replacing damaged bins, when will the irresponsible behaviour change for the better?” lamented Lee.

Some of the recurring issues are also attributed to poor environmental awareness and practice of managing solid waste among the general public. The present attitude can be further improved if the public takes on a more serious stance in managing their refuse; simply by caring more for cleanliness and taking all the necessary steps to manage the waste in a responsible manner. This can be done through easy steps and positive initiatives such as looking after the cleanliness in their homes and neighbourhood, caring for and looking after their bins or bin centres responsibly, collectively restraining from littering and indiscriminate dumping, or to start recycling – all simple but crucial steps taken for the good of the community and environment. Residents can either do this individually, collectively with neighbours, or through a village committee.

 The company is always striving to overcome these problems through open discussions and dialogues with the relevant authorities and communities. The greater part of the problem can be resolved with positive behaviours and active public co-operation.

 “Being a waste collector is never easy,” said Alice Lee. “It’s a tough job but it is our responsibility as a service provider and we will always do our best for the public. We need the support and cooperation from everyone, including the public, to understand our tribulations, and play a role by becoming more responsible in the way that they manage their waste. This way, we cooperatively benefit from living in a cleaner and healthier city,” she concluded.

 

 

 

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