Brunei Darussalam generates around 1.15kg of waste per capita per day and the disposal of this waste mainly ends up at landfills. AFP
The waste sector in Brunei Darussalam accounts for only 0.001 per cent of the total greenhouse gases emission, though the country’s waste generation is the highest in the ASEAN region.
Brunei Darussalam generates around 1.15 kg of waste per capita per day and the disposal of this waste mainly ends up at landfills. Year 2019 marked the highest waste generated at 263,669 metric tonnes.
The increased demand for energy and material consumption and the growing number of businesses and industries due to population growth will eventually lead to an increase in waste generation. This will cause the landfill to fill up earlier than projected.
The Sungai Paku Engineered Landfill Site, based on the current waste generation, will reach its full capacity in less than 10 years.
The growing concern on the country’s rising waste generation and proper approach of addressing the issue were underscored by Deputy Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Ar Awang Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin as the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of Operational Document Taskforce (ODTF) Workshop for Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy (BNCCP) Strategy 7 on Waste Management at Atria Simpur Hall of Public Works Department on Tuesday.
As a country with a relatively small resource base, to achieve sustainability both economically and environmentally, the deputy minister said: “We are still compelled to attain holistic sustainability in a balanced manner. It is understandable that each and every one of us has our own strength and limitation with different capabilities and capacities in facing and addressing waste issues.
“We need to find a solution in the form of an integrated action plan or roadmap document that is doable and fit for purpose to our national circumstances. I learnt that three key areas discussed in the workshop are how to promote and implement waste minimisation through 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), how to pursue and adopt waste-to-energy technologies as the option to address land take issue, and lastly how to increase public education and awareness in 3R-related initiatives and programmes.
The ODTF was established to formulate a strategically coordinated, comprehensive and coherent roadmap that includes a detailed long-term action plan, key enablers, timeline, detailed KPIs, as well as monitoring and reporting mechanisms to achieve effective implementation of the 10 BNCCP strategies which are industrial emissions, forest cover, electric vehicles, renewable energy, power management, carbon pricing, waste management, climate resilience and adaptation, carbon inventory, and awareness and education.
The first draft of the BNCCP Operation Document is expected to be finalised by the end of October, to be reported to the Brunei Darussalam National Council on Climate Change.
BORNEO BULLETIN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
