Sharp rise in recyclables collected by Johor folk

The Star

a day ago

Johor Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) is intensifying efforts to raise recycling rates across the state, to ensure the national target of 40% is achieved this year.
Its deputy director Rafidah Mohamed said paper, bottles and electronic waste remained the top three collected recyclable materials in Johor based on its data.
A volunteer weighing rubbish collected from a clean-up programme at Gunung Pulai.
'Johor's recycling volume saw a sharp increase last year, with 2.41 million kilogrammes of recyclables collected compared to 1.38 million kilogrammes in 2023.
'This surge is largely attributed to the impact of the separation-at-source initiative that encouraged households to sort waste before disposal,' she told StarMetro.
However, Rafidah said Johor still faced major hurdles in public participation.
'The diverse cultural back­grounds, habits and socio-economic conditions among communities present real challenges for recycling.
'Many Malaysians still dispose of waste without sorting. Changing this habit requires persistent education and outreach.'
She noted that in high-density housing areas, limited space posed a problem for families trying to store recyclables before collection day.
Waste collected by volunteers during a beach clean-up programme in Mersing.
According to Rafidah, access
to recycling collection points remained limited in some neighbourhoods, which discouraged public participation.
'To combat these challenges, SWCorp has launched communication, education and public awareness campaigns statewide.
'These include school visits, public talks and awareness programmes held at community centres.'
She said the company also had volunteers known as 'Hero Kebersihan' (Cleanliness Heroes) who would be mobilised to conduct clean-up activities and
Rafidah says paper, bottles and e-waste remain the top three recyclable materials in Johor.
educate local communities.
The plastic waste collected from these clean-up activities were then separated and sent for recycling, she added.
Rafidah said SWCorp had also partnered with industries and local authorities to reinforce circular economy principles, through programmes such as 'Trash to Cash.'
She said this initiative rewarded households that separated recyclables with cash incentives or point-based rewards.
'To make waste separation a long-term habit, SWCorp introduced 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) education modules in schools and community programmes.
'Continuous engagement is key for us to have a society that always practises 3R day to day.'
Rafidah said while SWCorp did not handle the recycling techno­logy itself, it worked with industry players to ensure materials were processed responsibly.
She cited its close working relationship with Hiroyuki Indus­tries, a recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic processor, as an example of successful post-collection recycling.
She said collected PET bottles from campaigns were sent to Hiroyuki's plant in Senai, Johor, for processing.
Rafidah said bottles at the plant went through a cleaning and melting process before being converted into recycled PET resin.
The resin was then used to produce a range of new plastic products, including food packaging and bottles, she elaborated.
However, despite these efforts, she said Malaysia's PET recycling rate remained low with only
16% of bottles recovered and recycled.
'But Johor has seen pockets
of success in waste separation, thanks to strong grassroots leadership and community spirit,' said Rafidah.
She said among the examples were Masjid Bandar Putra IOI in Segamat, where structured collection systems had driven consistent recycling practices.
She noted that the mosque provided dedicated collection cages for recyclables and encouraged residents to drop
off materials regularly.
She thanked the mosque committee for keeping the programme active and effective.
'This shows that proactive leadership, infrastructure and resident participation can produce long-term results.'
In terms of enforcement, Rafidah said waste separation
at source had been mandatory since 2015 in Johor, Melaka, Pahang and the Federal Territories.
She said offenders could be fined up to RM1,000 under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).
'Still, education remains SWCorp's main approach to create better awareness among the public, with fines only issued after repeated non-compliance.
'SWCorp is also ramping up our partnerships with schools, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to expand recycling programmes across the state,' she elaborated.
Rafidah said one flagship programme was the school recycling competition, which taught students through hands-on projects.
'We are also collaborating closely with local councils to operate drive-through recycling centres, enabling residents to drop off recyclables conveniently,' she said, adding that there were currently 86 such centres operating in seven states under Act 672, including Johor.
'Looking ahead, SWCorp's long-term strategy includes achieving the 40% national recycling target under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
'Plans include expanding the recycling bank programme in schools, kindergartens and public offices throughout Johor.'
Rafidah said it also intended to scale up its zero waste community initiative, particularly in low-income housing projects.
'We aim to embed recycling into everyday life, from home to school and the office.
'Efforts will be further supported by ongoing education and media campaigns for better understanding of environmental sustainability,' she added.
Rafidah said that through such efforts, the objective was not just about reducing landfill waste
but also creating a culture of responsibility and care for future generations.