12.2.6 : Policy for minimisation of disposable items
Policy on Minimizing Disposable Items: Sustainable Resource Use
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has established a comprehensive framework to actively minimize the use of disposable items across its operations, directly addressing the core concerns of Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
The UTM Campus Sustainability Policy (Pekeliling 42/2020) outlines multiple, interconnected policy statements that collectively form a robust strategy for reducing disposable consumption:
- Mandate for Responsible Resource Use: The policy sets a high-level principle of "Menggunakan tenaga elektrik, air, hawa dingin, sumber pejabat dan kemudahan awam yang lain secara lestari" (using electricity, water, air conditioning, office resources, and other public facilities sustainably). This broad mandate extends the requirement for sustainable consumption to all general disposable supplies (like paper, stationary, and other office resources) used across the university's daily administrative and academic functions.
- Zero Single-Use Plastic Initiative: A specific, high-impact action directly minimizing disposables is the "Menghapuskan pembungkusan makanan dan minuman yang tidak terbiodegradasi menerusi inisiatif Kampus Sifar Plastik Sekali-Guna" (Eliminating non-biodegradable food and beverage packaging through the Zero Single-Use Plastic Campus Initiative). This policy enforces the complete removal of a major category of disposable items (plastic containers, cups, cutlery, etc.), effectively replacing them with reusable or biodegradable alternatives.
- Waste Hierarchy Application: The policy emphasizes resource optimization and recovery by including "Meminimumkan penjanaan sampah dan pencemaran melalui pengurusan sampah yang berkesan" (Minimizing waste generation and pollution through effective waste management) and "Memaksimumkan guna semula sisa pepejal organik menerusi program Waste-to-Wealth dan Fork-to-Farm" (Maximizing the reuse of organic solid waste through the Waste-to-Wealth and Fork-to-Farm programmes). This embeds the principle of Reduce and Reuse at the top of the waste hierarchy for all disposables before eventual disposal or recycling.
Collectively, these policies demonstrate a formal and multifaceted commitment to minimizing disposable consumption, encompassing both general office supplies and high-volume food service items.
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