At Kampung Pukat in Sandakan, the scenery is both picturesque and troubling. Wooden houses on stilts line the waterfront, their residents relying in the local economy to sustain their livelihood.

But under the walkways and along the shoreline lies the evidence of a waste management problem that has spiraled out of control.

A clean-up in the village revealed just how much rubbish had accumulated—100 tonnes removed from just one part of the settlement.

It’s a staggering figure, but what if all that rubbish could do more than clog waterways and pollute the environment? What if it could be turned into electricity?

The idea isn’t as far-fetched as it seems. Sabah generates 2,500 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) every day. That’s over 912,500 tonnes annually.

When combined with the estimated 100,000 tonnes of rubbish produced by settlements like Kampung Pukat, the total volume is enormous.

But this waste, instead of festering in overburdened landfills, could be transformed into a renewable energy source through waste-to-energy (WtE) technology.

Sabah urged to explore waste-to-energy opportunities

A community drowning in waste

For residents of Kampung Pukat, the problem has been growing for years. “When the tides come in or after heavy rain, the rubbish just floats back to the shore,” said Rosli Juman, a long-time resident of the village. “We’ve tried to clean it up, but it always comes back.”

Rosli isn’t alone in his frustration.

Across Sabah, improper waste disposal is a common issue, particularly in remote settlements that lack regular rubbish collection services. Piles of waste are burned, buried, or dumped into rivers, creating hazards not just for the environment but also for public health.

What if villages like Kampung Pukat could turn this waste into something useful? Experts say it’s possible.

If 87% of Sabah’s rubbish—including waste from settlements and urban areas—were diverted to WtE facilities, it could generate between 506,250 and 607,500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually. That’s enough to power 50,000 to 60,000 homes a year.

The landfills can’t take it

The Kayu Madang Sanitary Landfill near Kota Kinabalu, Sabah’s only proper landfill, has been stretched beyond its limits. Designed to last decades, it reached full capacity in 2015. Meanwhile, the state’s 21 non-sanitary landfills struggle with leachate contamination and insufficient space.

Without a solution, Sabah’s waste crisis will only deepen. The question now is whether WtE technology can turn the tide—not just by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills but also by generating renewable energy for the state.

A look at the numbers

WtE facilities have been successfully implemented in countries like Sweden and Japan. Sweden converts more than 50% of its rubbish into energy, powering 250,000 households annually and heating one million homes.

Japan, with over 1,000 WtE plants, generates 4.2 gigawatts (GW) of electricity each year while efficiently managing urban waste.

In Sabah, a tonne of rubbish can produce 500 to 600 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. Processing the state’s daily waste output of 2,500 tonnes could generate up to 1,250 MWh of electricity a day.

Over a year, that’s enough to power thousands of homes and offset a significant portion of the state’s energy needs.

Can it work here?

The potential benefits of WtE are clear. Diverting waste to energy plants would extend the lifespan of landfills, reduce environmental pollution, and create jobs in construction and plant operations.

Revenue from electricity sales could help offset operational costs, making the system financially viable in the long run.

But implementing WtE in Sabah comes with challenges. Building a WtE plant requires significant investment—between USD 50 million and USD 300 million, depending on its size and capacity.

Effective waste segregation at the source is also critical, and Sabah is still lagging in this area.

Public resistance could be another obstacle. Despite advancements in WtE technology, which now adheres to strict emission standards, many people remain skeptical about its environmental impact. Without public support, even the best-laid plans can falter.

A vision for Sabah

On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has urged the state to tap into the WtE potentials.

This aligns with the Sabah State Energy Action Roadmap Plan (SEARAMP), which prioritizes reducing reliance on fossil fuels and achieving energy self-sufficiency.

Sabah obtained autonomy over power in January 2024, while plans are afoot to have the utility firm, Sabah Electricity by 2030.

For Rosli in Kampung Pukat, the concept of turning rubbish into electricity seems like a distant dream.

“If it’s real, it could change everything,” he said. “The village would be clean, and we could be part of something bigger.”

If done right, WtE could transform Sabah’s waste crisis into an opportunity for sustainable development. – January 27, 2025.