3R Recycling Programme propels circular economy among Malaysians

The residents of Sibu (a city in Malaysia) were invited to sell their recyclable used products at the 3R Recycling Programme held in Swan Square on March 12 last Sunday. The programme, since its inception, has helped collect recyclable items like paper, cardboard, tin or aluminium cans from the residential area.

Volunteer Loh Yu Yee clarified that this is by far the thirteenth edition of the programme organised around the community. She claimed that people participating in the recycling drive would receive Sarimi noodles on completion.

“This is a monthly event that we do to encourage people, especially families, to recycle their recyclable items and to save the environment,” she said.

The recyclers or participants were urged to separate the waste materials on a prior basis because sorting after collecting is quite improbable and time-consuming. Many companies have invested in sorting machines to sort end-of-life commercial, industrial or household scrap.

Loh Yu Yee has repeatedly warned that the tin or aluminium cans should be cleaned internally before collection. Aluminium cans are usually comprised of the best quality aluminium, which makes the recycling process much easier as the raw material extracted from them can be used for various essential industry purposes.

“Batteries, old aircon, old refrigerators, computers, washing machines, used cooking oil, and old clothes are accepted as well,” Yu Yee exaggerated.

“Price differs for different types of waste,” she added in conclusion.

The volunteer also urged the public to be more vigilant as this drive could positively affect the community in the long run, creating a much more sustainable economy.