Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal Isi Rumah Semasa Pandemik Covid-19: Satu Analisis Menurut Perspektif Undang-undang di Malaysia dan Prinsip Syariah

Household Solid Waste Management during the Covid-19 Pandemic: An Analysis According to Malaysian Legal Perspective and Shariah Principles

Abstract

Sisa pepejal merupakan salah satu masalah utama alam sekitar yang mendapat perhatian di kebanyakan negara di dunia. Peningkatan janaan sisa pepejal ketika dunia sedang mendepani wabak Pandemik Covid-19 telah menimbulkan cabaran baru bagi kebanyakan negara termasuk Malaysia dalam pengurusan sisa pepejal. Kegagalan menguruskan sisa pepejal ketika menghadapi pandemik ini sudah pasti akan mengundang malapetaka dan menyebabkan kesan buruk terhadap keselamatan dan kesihatan awam serta alam sekitar. Setiap isi rumah boleh menghasilkan sisa pepejal berbahaya seperti pelitup muka yang tercemar atau sisa pepejal isi rumah yang lain semasa pandemik yang perlu diurus dengan berhati-hati dan berkesan. Antara cabaran dalam pengurusan sisa pepejal ketika pandemik ialah peningkatan jumlah penjanaan sisa campuran termasuk sisa berjangkit akibat tahap pengasingan sisa di sumber yang rendah dan peningkatan jumlah sisa daripada plastik.  Dalam hal ini, undang-undang sedia ada berkaitan pengurusan sisa pepejal di Malaysia perlu diperkemas agar pengurusan sisa pepejal dapat dibuat dengan lebih efektif sekaligus meminimumkun risiko pencemaran dan ancaman terhadap kesihatan awam. Daripada sudut yang lain, Syariah Islam juga sebenarnya telah memberi penekanan terhadap kepentingan dan tanggungjawab memelihara dan menguruskan alam sekitar termasuklah aspek pengurusan sisa pepejal bagi menjaga maslahah kehidupan manusia dan menolak mafsadah daripada mereka. Kaedah kajian kepustakaan dan temu bual telah digunapakai dalam artikel ini bagi membincangkan pengurusan sisa pepejal isi rumah semasa pandemik Covid-19 dari perspektif undang-undang di Malaysia dan prinsip Syariah berkaitan. Perbincangan ini penting bagi mempertingkat kesedaran umum dan menambahbaik pengurusan sisa pepejal dalam situasi pandemik.

Solid waste is one of the major environmental problems that is gaining attention in most countries in the world. The increase in solid waste generation as the world is facing the Covid-19 Pandemic has posed new challenges for many countries including Malaysia in solid waste management. Failure to manage solid waste in facing this pandemic will inevitably cause catastrophe and adverse effects on public safety and health as well as the environment. Every household can produce hazardous solid waste such as contaminated face masks or other household solid wastes during the pandemic that must be managed carefully and effectively. Among the challenges in solid waste management at the time of pandemic  is the increase in the amount of mixed waste including infectious waste due to the low level of waste separation at source and the increase in the amount of plastic waste. In this regard, the existing laws related to solid waste management in Malaysia need to be streamlined so that solid waste management can be made more effective while minimizing the risk of pollution and threats to public health. From another angle, the Shariah has emphasized on the importance and responsibility of preserving and managing the environment, including aspects of solid waste management in order to safeguard human life and prevent damage. The methods of literature review and interviews have been employed in this article to discuss household solid waste management during the Covid-19 pandemic from the Malaysian legal perspective and related Shariah principles. This discussion is important in order to raise public awareness and improve solid waste management in time of pandemic.