Students learning about the importance of recycling at the Sustainable Waste Zone, Perpustakaan Sultan Ismail in Johor Baru. — Courtesy photos
OVER 1,614 tonnes of recyclable items have been collected under the KITARecycle programme in the last five years, according to solid waste management and public cleansing provider SWM Environment Sdn Bhd.
Its corporate general manager Mohd Norlisam Mohd Nordin highlighted the programme’s growing success since its inception in 2019, with significant year-on-year increases in the volume of recyclables collected.
“For example, some 382 tonnes of recyclable items have been collected between January and May this year, compared to 212 tonnes collected in the same period last year.
“This is a positive sign that the public is getting more aware of the importance of separating their rubbish and carrying out recycling,” he told StarMetro.
Mohd Norlisam with the KITARecycle mobile app. — Filepic
Paper remains the most recycled material, with over 889 tonnes collected.
This is followed by plastic goods (155 tonnes), iron (146 tonnes) and glass bottles (126 tonnes), the latter being accepted since 2021.
According to Mohd Norlisam, the increase in collection volumes which started in 2021 coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw a surge in online purchases and a societal shift towards digital solutions, including the KITARecycle app.
He said the KITARecycle programme encouraged public participation by offering a reward system where users could earn points for their recycled items, redeemable for cash.
He added that the online reward recycling system under KITARecycle accepted 25 types of recycled items accessible to users through www.kitarecycle.com or the mobile app.
To date, 34,956 users in Johor had accumulated over 3.8 million reward points.
A KITARecycle booth at a gotong-royong event in Taman Murni, Batu Pahat, Johor.
To broaden its impact, SWM Environment had partnered with local councils, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) and various public and private agencies.
This collaboration, he said, had led to the establishment of recycling facilities at key locations, including B5 Johor Street Market, Sunway Emerald Boulevard recycling drive station and Plaza Pelangi recycling centre.
“The company’s 3R Troopers team actively promotes recycling in schools, communities, government centres and industrial areas.”
Additionally, the Communication, Education and Public Awareness (Cepa) initiative has been implemented at the Sustainable Waste Zone, Perpustakaan Sultan Ismail in Johor Baru, said Mohd Norlisam.
He added that SWM Environment was also involved in educational sustainability programmes such as the Iskandar Malaysia Ecolife Challenge (IMELC) and Jelajah Sekolah Angkat Wira Lestari (Jesawil), which mobilise teachers, students and parents to participate in collecting recyclable items.
Mohd Norlisam added that the strategic initiatives and community-focused efforts by SWM Environment aimed to further increase recycling rates and public participation in Johor.
