Rumaizi (third from right) and Tetra Pak Malaysia sustainability director for Asean Terrynz Tan (second from left) marking the collaboration for the CAREton project. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star
SOME 100kg of used beverage cartons have been collected around Ipoh to be recycled, in a bid by Ipoh City Council (MBI) to reduce waste at landfills.
Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the cartons were collected through a recycling programme called CAREton Project.
It involved school pupils and local communities and had been ongoing since last September.
“All 153 schools in the city, in collaboration with Perak Education Department and Northern Kinta District Education Office will be involved in the project.
“We plan to run this project yearly, as the aim is to reduce the city’s carbon footprint by up to 45% by 2030,” he said.
Rumaizi was speaking after a memorandum of understanding was signed between MBI and Tetra Pak (M) Sdn Bhd for the project.
The city council’s goal, he said, was to practise “doughnut economics” based on the circular economy concept.
“Currently, the world economy relies mostly on the linear economy, where after an input-output process, the waste from this process ends up in landfills,” said Rumaizi.
“However, we want that output to be recycled back into the input, creating a circular economy system.
“In line with that concept, the used beverage cartons can be processed into other items.”
Rumaizi said the project would eventually be opened to the public.
“We are starting the project with children to instil awareness on the importance of preserving and conserving the environment from young.
“We hope this programme will be a starting point to achieve the goal of making Ipoh a smart city,” he said.
The CAREton Project is a used beverage cartons recycling campaign by Tetra Pak and its partners, which transforms drink packs into “green” roofing tiles and panel boards for communities in need.
