This article is attributed to the co-founder of The Asher by Pamarai, Mr Pang Swee Lei
In all its glory, Mount Everest stands at 8,849 meters and weighs in at approximately 2.5 billion tonnes. Can you imagine standing before anything larger? Well, come 2050, you just might! According to the World Bank, global waste generation is expected to reach 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050—almost 1.3 times the size of Everest.
For decades, if not centuries, global waste issues have been addressed through a “who cares” attitude by policymakers and businesses prioritising waste relocation (and hiding) over definitive waste elimination — meaning that their rubbish becomes somebody else’s problem, out of sight, out of mind. Meanwhile, only a fraction of plastic waste ever produced has been successfully recycled, and in low-income countries, mismanaged waste continues to cause severe health and environmental consequences.
In perpetuating such systems that primarily focus on relocating and hiding traditional waste from public view, we have failed to address the core issue: Waste is being generated, accumulated, and dumped (hidden away) faster than it can be managed.
A fundamental shift is needed. Treating waste at the source should be considered an environmental imperative, an investment for future generations — one that advances meaningful practicality in being sustainable with long-term economic impact, and benefits. Real sustainability is not about segregating waste into different bins; it is about ensuring waste is reduced, treated, and eliminated, before it ever becomes a problem.
It is about how we return the materials we’ve used to Mother Nature post-consumption.
Make The Right Move: Treat At Source. You and I. Together.
So, now that we’ve established that our overburdened landfills, and equally overburdened systems are no longer viable, what’s next? What’s the best solution for dealing with solid waste? How can we, quite literally, kick trash to the curb?
Here’s how: Treat-At-Source.
A treat-at-source approach eliminates wasteful secondary processes like transportation, handling, and the risk of infections, preserving key resources such as water and energy. This reduces landfill reliance, conserves natural resources like land and forests, and significantly cuts methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. By eliminating waste at its source, we protect Mother Earth from pollution and health risks, supporting circular economy practices.
It benefits us from a financial standpoint, too., Currently, cities allocate up to 20% of their budgets on waste management, with transport costs often surpassing processing costs. A decentralised approach, where waste is handled on the spot, reduces infrastructure strain and increases efficiency, certainly more economically viable than large-scale disposal systems. Forward-thinking businesses that are looking to improve their sustainability commitments are already investing in the necessary tech for on-site waste treatment, proving that prevention is both practical and profitable.
Malaysia is poised to become the world’s hero, with a little help from The Asher. With a growing focus on sustainable development, solutions like The Asher offer an immediate and scalable means of addressing waste at its origin. Capable of disintegrating up to 90% of waste at the source, this technology eliminates reliance on landfills and collection-based disposal systems, offering businesses and communities a tangible pathway towards a waste-free future.
From Relocate and Hide to Definitive Waste Elimination
Governments and businesses must look beyond waste relocation and embrace total waste elimination.
The shift can happen, and you and I can be a part of it, enabled by The Asher. As Malaysia can lead the way towards a greener future, businesses must rethink their approach, embedding solutions like The Asher into their corporate sustainability strategies.
Everyone can, and must, play a part in keeping the world clean—from corporations driving systemic change to households making informed choices. Treating waste at the source must become the standard, not the exception, because if waste is not stopped where it starts, it will never be stopped at all.
