Out of sight ≠ out of impact.
It’s easy to forget about something once we’ve tossed it in the bin. It disappears from our kitchen, our workspace, our life. But trash doesn’t vanish, it just becomes someone else’s problem.
Let’s trace where your trash really goes and why it matters.
Step 1: The bin
This is where the journey starts. But not all bins are equal:
· Recycling bins (when used properly) send materials for reprocessing
· General bins send everything else, mixed waste, food scraps, soft plastics, straight to landfill
Improper sorting (like putting food or soft plastic in recycling) can cause contamination, meaning whole batches of recyclables end up in landfill too.
Step 2: Collection & sorting
Your trash is picked up and taken to a transfer station or sorting facility.
Here’s where things get complicated:
· If your items are clean, dry, and sorted correctly, they might be recycled
· If not, they’re usually diverted to landfill or incinerated
In Malaysia, waste separation at source is required, but often overlooked, and waste management systems are still struggling to keep up.
Step 3: Landfill or incineration
Malaysia generates over 38,000 tons of waste per day, and most of it ends up in landfills.
Here’s what happens there:
· Organic waste (like food) breaks down and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas
· Plastic and synthetic materials can take hundreds of years to break down, if ever
· Toxic chemicals can leach into soil and water systems, affecting nearby communities and wildlife
Some waste is incinerated, especially in urban areas, but that creates air pollution and leaves behind toxic ash.
What about recycling?
Recycling sounds like the answer, but globally, only about 9% of plastic actually gets recycled. The rest?
· Too contaminated
· Too mixed
· Not profitable to process
· Or simply not recyclable to begin with
That’s why reduction and reuse are so much more important than relying on recycling alone.
What can we do instead?
· Refuse what you don’t need
· Reuse what you already have
· Compost food waste if possible
· Buy products with little or no packaging
· Sort waste properly and clean recyclables before binning
Every item you don’t send to landfill is a small act of resistance, and protection.
Your trash has a longer life than you think.
And once you understand where it goes, it’s easier to change what you throw away — and how you live.
Because the goal isn’t just to create less waste.
It’s to leave behind less harm.