USM PENANG, 7 October 2025 - Have you ever wondered, what if yesterday’s trash could become tomorrow’s treasure?

At Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), wonder no more. It’s happening now, with impact reaching far beyond campus walls.

Through the Service-Learning Malaysia–University for Society (SULAM-USM) framework, the USM School of Industrial Technology is taking the move to repurpose waste, embrace the circular economy, and supports multiple SDGs such as SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG  11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The programme, ‘Waste to Resources and Ecogreen Technology (W2RET)’ and ‘Bukit TI NaturEx 2.0’ have brought together multiple stakeholders comprising of 140 students, 36 school teachers, NGOs (PIFWANITA), industries (Plexus Manufacturing, MSM Prai), and government agencies (USIM, UiTM, SEGI College) with a shared mission: turning waste into eco-products, while inspiring a culture of sustainability.

 

Programme achievements included:

• Conversion of 25 kg of food waste from Bakti cafeteria into compost and renewable biogas energy.
• Distribution of 42 ‘ulam raja’ herb seedlings and 15 planting kits to the local community.
• Processing of eco-enzymes using bread, yoghurt, lactic acid bacteria, and cow dung for household use.
• Creation of natural pesticides from orange peels, garlic, and mint
• Upcycling of 2 kg of plastic bottles and 22 containers into simple games and ecobricks furniture.
• Repurposing of PET bottles from Perai River into handmade keychains.
• Design of water-saving irrigation systems and vertical gardening prototypes for home use.

From compost piles to biogas, from waste plastics to eco-bricks, USM students and their partners have shown that sustainability begins with small, practical steps.

What began on campus is now being shared with communities, industries, and agencies alike.

These efforts show USM’s strong commitment to being a Sustainability-led University. By combining education, research, and community work, USM helps students and partners take real action for the environment.

As the world pushes for more sustainable solutions, USM leads the way,  proving that teamwork, innovation, and hands-on learning can turn waste into useful resources and build a greener future for everyone.

Text & Photo: Widad Fadhullah/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin