Agamuthu Pariatamby

Agamutu Pariatamby

Agamuthu Pariatamby

  • Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development
SDGs Focus

Biography

Prof. Dato’ Dr. Agamutu is a distinguished environmental scientist, academic leader, and globally recognised authority in environmental sciences, sustainable development, and waste management, with over five decades of professional experience in the field of waste management and environmental sustainability. He currently serves as Senior Professor at the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, Ƶ University, where he plays a pivotal role in advancing interdisciplinary research, policy engagement, and capacity-building initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He is internationally acknowledged as a World Top 2% Scientist in Environmental Sciences, as ranked by Stanford University, reflecting the global impact, quality, and influence of his scholarly contributions. Prof. Agamutu is also a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (FASc) – one of the highest academic honors in the country – recognising his sustained excellence in scientific research, leadership, and national service.

Beyond Malaysia, Prof. Agamutu maintains strong global academic and policy engagements. He serves as a high-level foreign expert with the Ministry of Science and Technology, China, contributing his expertise to strategic scientific collaboration, innovation policy, and technology transfer initiatives. He is also appointed as a visiting professor at Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China, where he supports advanced research, postgraduate supervision, and international research networks in waste-to-energy, circular economy, and environmental sustainability. Prof. Agamutu holds several influential leadership roles within international professional bodies. He is an Honorary Member of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), a distinction reserved for individuals who have made outstanding global contributions to solid waste management. He also serves as Chairman of the International Committee on Waste-to-Energy at Zhejiang University, providing strategic direction on research, innovation, and international collaboration in energy recovery and resource valorization from waste streams. A highly cited scholar, Prof. Agamutu has an h-index of 54 with over 11,280 citations (as of December 2025), underscoring the depth, consistency, and international relevance of his research outputs. His work spans waste management systems, waste-to-energy technologies, circular economy, environmental policy, life-cycle assessment, and sustainable urban development. Over his 50-year career, he has contributed extensively to shaping both academic discourse and practical policy frameworks at national, regional, and global levels.

In addition to his research achievements, Prof. Agamutu has made significant contributions to scholarly publishing and academic governance. He previously served as Senior Editor-in-Chief of Waste Management & Research, a leading international journal in the field, where he guided editorial strategy, upheld scientific rigour, and supported the dissemination of high-quality, policy-relevant research worldwide. In 2025, Prof. Agamutu achieved GSP (Global Scholarly Prestige) qualification, placing him within the top 0.05% of scholars globally in his field based on scholarly output, impact, and international standing – further affirming his position among the world’s most influential environmental scientists. Through his academic leadership, international engagement, and five decades of hands-on and strategic experience in waste management, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Agamutu Pariatamby continues to shape the global agenda on environmental protection, circular economy, and sustainable development, while mentoring the next generation of scientists, policymakers, and practitioners across Asia and beyond.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • PhD, University of Malaya (UM)
  • MSc, University of Malaya (UM)
  • BSC(Hons), University of Malaya (UM)

Research Interests

  • Solid Waste Management
  • Plastic Biodegradation
  • Sustainable Environmental Management
  • Life Cycle Analysis
  • Hazardous Wastes
  • Solid Substrate Technology
  • Greenhouse Gas Reduction
  • MFA and POPs
  • Circular Economy
  • Extended Producer Responsibility

Notable Publications

Books:

  1. Sadhan Kumar Ghosh, Ramakrishna Sen, H N Chanakya and Agamuthu P. (2020). Bioresource Utilization and Bioprocess. Springer Nature Singapore. ISBN 978 981 15 1606 1. Pp283.
  2. Agamuthu P, Fauziah Shahul Hamid and Mehran Sanam Bhatti (2020). . (pp.586). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
  3. Fauziah Shahul Hamid, Siti Suhaila Harith, Japareng Lalung, Auwalu Hassan and Agamuthu P. (2019). Technical Report: Abundance and Distribution of Marine Debris on Selected Beaches of Marine Park Islands. Department of Fisheries Malaysia. Pp 48. ISBN 978-967-0633-53-4.
  4. Agamuthu P (Ed). (2018). Proceedings of the ISWA World Congress 2018, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Pp592. ISBN 978-967-16527
  5. Prasad Modak, Jeffrey Seadon and Agamuthu P. (2017). Asia Waste Management Outlook (AWMO). United Nations Environment. Pp 234.

Book chapter:

  1. Agamuthu P, Mehran Sanam Bhatti, Fauziah Shahul Hamid (2020). Waste Management in Developing Countries: An Overview, In: (Ed) Sustainable Waste Management Challenges in Developing Countries. IGI Global publishers, USA. Pp 494-519.
  2. Agamuthu P, and Mehran Sanam Bhatti, (2020). Waste Management Challenges in Malaysia. In: (Ed.)
  3. Agamuthu P, Mehran S B. and Fauziah S H. . IGI Global publishers, USA. Pp 186-222.
  4. Agamuthu P, and Mehran Sanam Bhatt. (2020). Circular Economy in Malaysia. In: (Ed). Sadhan K Ghosh. Circular Economy: Global Perspective. Springer Nature publishers. Pp 241-268. ISBN 978-981-15-1051-9.
  5. Agamuthu P, and Mehran Sanam Bhatt. (2019). Sustainable Solid Waste Management: Global and Asian Perspective. In (Ed). Rajeev Pratap Singh, Vishal Prasad, and Barkha Vaish. Recent Advances and Global Challenges in Waste Management. Taylor and Francis Group/CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-138-39042-3.

Proceeding papers:

  1. Agamuthu P. Waste Management and in Asia: Challenges and the Way Forward. Keynote. International Conference on Solid Waste 2019, Hangzhou, China. Nov 13-16, 2019. Pp 34-35.
  2. Agamuthu P. Aziz A and Fauziah S H. (2019). Natural Coagulants from Dillenia Indica Seeds for Removal of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Landfill Leachate. In (Ed Sadhan Kumar Ghosh) Proc. of the 9th International Conference on Solid Waste Management. Bhubaneswar, India. Pg 316.
  3. Agamuthu P., Nithiya A. and Shimaoka, T. (2019). Waste to Energy: Current Technologies. In (Ed Sadhan Kumar Ghosh) Proc. of the 9th   International Conference on Solid Waste Management. Plenary paper. Bhubaneswar, India. Pp 181-185.
  4. Priya M. Agamuthu P. and Fauziah S H. (2019). Fungal Biodegradation of Polyethylene Tetraphthalate Plastics from Landfill. International Young Scientists Symposium on Waste Management and Disposal Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China. Pp. 72-75.
  5. Michael Devadoss, P S., Agamuthu, P. Chenayah, S. and Fauziah, S H. (2019). Impact of Solid Waste Management on Climate Change in Malaysia. International Young Scientists Symposium on Waste Management and Disposal Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China. Pp. 68-71.
  6. P. (2019). Status of Microplastic Pollution in Aquatic Ecosystem. Expert Workshop on Microplastics in the Water Environment. 19-21 August 2019, Koh Samui, Thailand. Book of abstracts. Pg 15.
  7. Agamuthu P. (2018). Invited Keynote Lecture. Solid waste Management Impact on Sustainable Development. 2018 3rd Intl. Conf. on Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Development (CEESD 2018). 30th Nov to 2 Dec 2018.
  8. Agamuthu P. (2018). Invited Keynote Lecture. Waste Management dynamics and challenges in Asia. Proc. Intl. Conf. on Advances and Challenges for Sustainable Ecosystem (ICACSE 2018). National Institute of Technology (NIT), Thrichy, India. 6th -8th Dec 2018. Pp4.
  9. Agamuthu P. (2018). Issues and Challenges of Waste Management and Recycling in Asia. Proc. RECYCLE 2018. Int. Conf. on Waste Management, pp vii. Indian Institute of India (IIT) Guwahati, India.

Articles in academic indexed journals:

  1. Auwalu H., Agamuthu P., Ossai. I C., Aziz A., Mohd Afzanizam M., Jayanthi B., and Fauziah S.H. (2022). . Applied Soil Ecology 170 (2022) 104307. IF 4.046 Q2.
  2. Ragossnig AM, Agamuthu P. . Waste Management & Research. 2021;39(5):629-630. doi:10.1177/0734242X211013428
  3. Agamuthu P. (2021).  Waste Monitor 4(1): 47-48. National Solid Waste association of India.
  4. Aziz, A., Agamuthu P., A Hassan., Auta H.S. and Fauziah S.H. (2021). . Environmental Technology & Innovation. 24, Nov 2021, 102061. . IF 5.263 Q1
  5. Jayanthy, B. Hassan Auwalu, Agamuthu P., Fauziah S H., and Emenike C. U. (2021). . Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 29, 22069–22081 (2022). .
  6. Chanrakant B K., Ramasamy R., Raman V., Raju R. and Agamuthu P. (2021). . Waste Management and Research, 39 (11): 1427-1436. DOI 10.1177/0734242X211029159
  7. Auwalu Hassan and Agamuthu P. (2021). . Intl. J. of Environmental Science and Technology. (accepted). Q2
  8. Auwalu Hassan, Agamuthu P.* and Fauziah Shahul Hamid (2021). Open access journal of Waste Management & Xenobiotics. 4 (2).:000165. DOI: 10.2.3880/oajwx-16000165.
  9. Alberto Bezama and Agamuthu, P. (2021). . Waste Management and Research. 39 (6) (June 2021) Open Access. Supplementary issue 1. (pp1-2).
  10. Michel Devadoss, P. S., Agamuthu P., Bhatti, M. S., Chenayah, S., & Shahul Hamid, F. (2021). . Waste Management & Research, 0734242X20983927.
  11. Michel Devadoss, P.Agamuthu, S.B.Mehran, C. Santha , S.H.Fauziah, “” Waste Management, Volume 119, 1 January 2021, Pages 135-144.
  12. Agamuthu P., Fauziah Shahul Hamid, Mehran Sanam Bhatti, Norkhairah Anuar, and Norkhairiyah Anuar, (2020). ‘’, J. Eng. Technol Sci., 52.2.
  13. Agamuthu P. and Jayanthi Barasarathi, (2020). ‘‘, Waste Management & Research (September 2020).
  14. Dwi Hantoko, Xiaodong Li, Agamuthu P., Kunio Yoshikawa, Mika Horttanainen, and Mi Yan, (2020). ‘’, Journal of Environmental Management, 286 .
  15. Agamuthu, P., & Barasarathi, J. (2020).  Waste Management & Research (Sept 2020).
  16. Sadhan K Ghosh and Agamuthu P. (2019).  Waste Management and Research. 37 (11): 1061-1062.
  17. Auwalu Hassan, Agamuthu P, Aziz Ahmed, Ossai Innocent and Fauziah Shahul Hamid. (2019). . Journal of Soils and Sediments 20, pages 66–80.
  18. Auwalu Hassan, Agamuthu P, Aziz Ahmed, Helen Shnada Auta and Fauziah Shahul Hamid. 2019. . Water Air Soil Pollut (2019) 230:215
  19. Agamuthu, P. Mehran, S B. Norkhairah A and Norkhairiah A. (2019).  :37(10): 987-1002.
  20. Agamuthu P., Arne M. Ragossnig and Costas Velis. (2019). . Waste Management and Research, 37(4): 313-314.
  21. Mehmet Sinan Bilgili and Agamuthu P. (2019). . Waste Management & Research. 37(3): 197-198.
  22. Alaribe F O and Agamuthu P. (2019). . Pedoshere 29(2): 248-258.
  23. Alberto Bezama and Agamuthu P. (2019). . Waste Management and Research. 37(1) (Open access Supplement). 1-4.
  24. A Aziz, Agamuthu P. and Fauziah S H. (2018). , 3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)-(S) from landfill leachate using locust bean gum. Waste Management and Research, 36(12):1146-1156.
  25. Agamuthu P. (2018).  Waste Management and Research. 36(10):869-871.
  26. Fauziah S H. Mehran, S R. Norkhairiyah A. Norkhairah, Priya M. and Agamuthu P. (2018).  Waste Management and Research. 36(10): 873-897.
  27. Emenike C U., Jayanthi, B., Agamuthu P. and Fauziah S H. (2018). . Rev. 00: 1–13 (0000) dx.doi.org/10.1139/er-2017-0045.
  28. Agamuthu, P. and Sadhan K Ghosh. (2018). . Waste Management and Research, 36 (6):481-482.
  29. Aziz A, Agamuthu P., and Fauziah S H. (2018)., . Waste Management and Research 36(10): 975-984.
  30. Jayanthi B. Emenike C. Auta S. Agamuthu P. & Fauziah S H. (2017). . International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 119, 467-475.
  31. Agamuthu P. (2017). . Waste Management & Research, 36 (10): 997-998.
  32. Jayanthi B., Emenike C U., Agamuthu P. and Fauziah S H. (2017). . Intl. J. of Chemical Engineering and Application. 8(3):199-202.
  33. Fauziah S H., Agamuthu, P. Hashim R., Izyani. And Emenike C U. (2017). . Environmental Earth Science (2017). 76:401. DOI 10. 1007?s 12665-017-6739-x.
  34. Aziz Ahmed, and Agamuthu, P. (2017). . DOI.no. 10.1080/09593330.2017.1305455.
  35. Emenike C.U, Winney Liew, Fahmi M.G, Kamilah Jalil N, Agamuthu P and Fauziah S.H (2017). . CSAWAC. 45(2) 6 pages.

Achievements & Accolades

Selected Talks and Presentations: 

  1. 24 March 2022: “Embracing the Circular Economy in the 12th Malaysia Plan”, Webinar held by Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under Prime Minister’s Department in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Panelist
  2. 2 Dec 2019: “Sustainable Development Goals in Food Waste Management”, Intl Seminar on Sustainable Development Goals-The Indian Pathway, Invited Keynote Speaker.
  3. 13- 16 Nov 2019: “Marine Debris: Issues, Challenges and Initiatives”, Asia-Pacific Symposium on Energy Utilization of Municipal Solid Waste for a Sustainable Development of City, Keynote Speaker.
  4. 31 July -1 Aug 2019: “Global Perspectives on Plastics and Microplastics: Issues, Challenges and Initiatives”, WMAM Annual Conference & Gala dinner, Invited Speaker.
  5. 7- 11 July 2019: “Plastics and Microplastics: A Global Perspective”, Intl. Young scientists Symposium on Waste Management and Disposal Technology, Keynote Speaker.
  6. 19- 22 May 2019: “Ocean Plastics Management and Challenges”, ISEE 2019, Invited Plenary Speaker.
  7. 19- 22 May 2019: “Status and Issues in Transboundary Movement of Wastes in Malaysia”, ISEE2019/ Basel Forum 2019, Invited Plenary Speaker.
  8. 19- 22 May 2019: “E-waste Management and Resource Recovery Potential in Asia and the Pacific”, ISEE2019, Plenary Speaker.
  9. 16 April 2019: “The 3R Uptake by Malaysians”, Jordan Green Clean Campaign, Invited Speaker.
  10. 21- 24 Mar 2019: “Plastic Management: Issues and Challenges”, 14th ICWMT, Beijing China,
  11. 27 Feb -1 Mar 2019: “Status of Marine Plastic Debris: Issues, Challenges and Global Initiatives”, 3RINCs 2019, Bangkok, Thailand, JSMCWM, KSWM, Invited Plenary Speaker.
  12. 27 Feb -1 Mar 2019: “3R Policy Indicator and Its Future. Recapping 1St Round and Priorities For 2Nd Round”, 3RINCs 2019, Bangkok, Thailand, JSMCWM, KSWM, Invited Speaker.
  13. 27 Feb -1 Mar 2019: “Global Management of Construction and Demolition and Disaster Waste”, 3RINCs 2019, Bangkok, Thailand, JSMCWM, KSWM, Invited Plenary Speaker.

Professional Associations

  1. Associate Dean (Research), School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Ƶ University
  2. Vice-President/International Advisory Board Member – Society of Solid Waste Management Experts in Asia and Pacific Islands (SWAPI)
  3. Visiting Professor, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
  4. Fellow, Academy of Sciences Malaysia
  5. Former Senior Editor in Chief, Waste Management & Research
  6. Editor, Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management
  7. Editorial Board, Journal of Safety and Environment
  8. Editorial Board, Advance in Environmental Waste Management & Recycling
  9. Chairman, Organization for Climate Change (OFCC)
  10. Board member (Vice Chairman), International Consultant Committee of Waste to Energy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
  11. Steering Committee Member of Centre Collaborating with UNEP on Environmental Technologies (CCET)
  12. Member, DeTao Masters, China
  13. Member of the Experts Working Group, Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD)