Assessment of Attitudes and Practices of Solid Waste Management among Residents of the Water Village in the Sandakan District, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

Public attitudes and behaviors toward waste management vary. Although many people have a positive attitude, it does not necessarily translate into appropriate actions. In Malaysia, public awareness of systematic waste management is still low, leading to an increase in illegal waste disposal. This study used a questionnaire distributed both physically and online through Google Forms to gather residents' opinions on cleanliness and solid waste management. The findings of this study indicate that many residents still struggle with proper waste disposal, with a significant portion of the respondents preferring to dispose of waste in their home surroundings. However, there is also some awareness among respondents to maintain cleanliness by disposing of waste in the bins provided by the authorities. Recycling activities are often regarded as burdensome. Despite this perception, many respondents engage in collecting recyclable waste and bring reusable bags when shopping. Notably, those respondents who expressed discomfort with a polluted environment reported these issues to the authorities. The effectiveness of waste management still depends on a combination of attitudes and practices within the community. Water village areas require more systematic waste management compared to other formal settlements. Therefore, continuous support from the authorities is greatly needed to ensure more efficient and sustainable waste management.