The public can now drop off used glass and plastic bottles for recycling at the newly launched Community Initiative for Recycling, Circular Learning and Education (Ripple Centre) at the Luyang multipurpose hall.
Ripple Chairperson Michelle De La Harpe said the volunteer-run centre will begin accepting glass and plastic bottles every Sunday from 9am to 12pm starting next month.
“Volunteers will help sort, clean and crush the items for recycling,” she said during the launch of the Ripple Centre by Kapayan Assemblywoman Datuk Jannie Lasimbang.
Supported by the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia – Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG), Michelle said the centre aims to become a community hub for recycling, environmental education, and household waste management.
She said 15 individuals from the B40 group and those currently unemployed will be recruited in August and trained to manage local recycling activities.
Planned activities include refurbishing the community learning centre, providing mobile collection bins, setting up neighbourhood drop-off points, and running workshops on recycling, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and waste sorting.
Michelle said the project addresses the lack of recycling infrastructure and low public awareness by establishing a proper system that reduces landfill waste and pollution, while encouraging community participation in protecting the environment.
“It also creates small income opportunities and supports youth and women in starting green businesses,” she said.
Since its inception in 2019 up to September 2024, Ripple has collected 41,284.80 kilogrammes of glass bottles—preventing 208,509 bottles from ending up in landfills and reducing 6,880.80 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions.
She added that the initiative was supported by 707 volunteers, received 1,707 visitors, and conducted 588 workshops.
From April 2023 to July 2024, Ripple’s plastic recycling project diverted 22.06 tonnes of plastic from landfills.
“As incentives, RM28,654.45 worth of rewards were given to the public, including RM2 per kilogramme for properly cleaned plastic items.
“The sale of recycled products brought in RM30,056.60, which helped cover our running costs,” she said.
Michelle said the project hopes to remain sustainable in the long term by building recycling habits within the community and training locals to manage drop-off points and logistics, even after funding ends.
She said Ripple will continue to support upcycling efforts, connect with buyers of recycled goods, and collaborate with local councils to expand the programme to more areas.
