New recycling hub in KK to empower community, reduce waste
KOTA KINABALU (July 18): RIPPLE, the Sabah Recycling Association, has launched its latest initiative: RIPPLE Circle, a community-based recycling centre located next to the Luyang Multipurpose Hall.
The RIPPLE Circle, which stands for Community Initiative for Recycling, Circular Learning and Education, was officially launched today.
Kapayan assemblywoman Jannie Lasimbang officiated at the event on behalf of the Minister of Industrial Development, Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe.
The ceremony also saw the attendance of key sponsors and representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, APPGM-SDG and Kota Kinabalu City Hall.
Other sponsors supporting the initiative include LCP Roller Shutter, Nippon Paint, City Top, Brickform Sdn Bhd and PC Construction.
RIPPLE chairlady Michelle De La Harpe said she was pleased with the new location, which will serve as a dedicated site for collecting used glass and selected plastic bottles (HDPE, LDPE, PP).
'This centre gives the public a better option to recycle rather than send their waste to the landfill,' she said.
Starting August 2025, the RIPPLE Circle will operate fully on volunteer efforts. The public can drop off their clean glass and plastic bottles every Sunday from 9am to noon. Volunteers will then handle the sorting, cleaning, shredding and crushing of materials.
With support from APPGM-SDG, RIPPLE aims to transform the centre into a hub for community learning, focusing on recycling, household waste management, and environmental sustainability.
The programme also plans to equip 15 participants with the skills to manage local recycling initiatives, creating opportunities for eco-entrepreneurship, especially for women and youth.
Among the activities lined up are repairing and expanding the Community Learning Centre, preparing mobile collection bins, setting up community drop-off points and conducting workshops on recycling, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and waste segregation.
According to Michelle, the initiative addresses gaps in recycling infrastructure and public awareness.
'This is not just about recycling. It's about building a structured system to reduce waste going to the landfill, tackle pollution, and encourage community-led action. It also creates micro-livelihoods and new income opportunities,' she said.
RIPPLE also plans to embed long-term recycling habits in the community by empowering locals to manage logistics and drop-off points even after the current grant from APPGM-SDG ends.
The association will continue to support product upcycling, market linkages and explore ways to integrate the programme into municipal waste policies for future expansion.
Since its inception in 2019, RIPPLE has recorded notable achievements. Through one of its glass recycling projects up to September 2024, the association collected 41,284.80 kilos of glass bottles, diverting 208,509 bottles from the landfill and preventing 6,880.80 kilos of carbon dioxide emissions.
The project also engaged 707 volunteers, welcomed 1,707 visitors to its site and held 588 workshops.
Between April 2023 and July 2024, RIPPLE's Plastic Recycling Project managed to prevent 22.06 tonnes of plastic from ending up in the landfill.
As part of this project, RIPPLE distributed RM28,654.45 worth of incentives to the public — paying RM2 per kilo for properly cleaned plastics.
Revenue generated from sales of recycled products reached RM30,056.60, which helped cover some of the centre's operational costs.
'This is proof that when the community comes together, we can create real impact,' said Michelle.
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Borneo Post
25-07-2025
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