The management of Oakleaf Park Condominium utilised some of the funds generated from the waste separation project for repairs to the refuse room.
‘Mindset of highrise management, residents key to meeting waste separation objectives’
SELANGOR is set to finalise the ratification of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672) by this year, paving the way for stricter regulations on waste management.
Once enforced, residents will be required by law to separate their waste into recyclables and non-recyclables or face penalties.
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The move is part of a nationwide effort to standardise solid waste management and public cleansing laws, following the Cabinet’s in-principle approval for Selangor to adopt Act 672.
Several local authorities including Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) and Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), have rolled out pilot projects to promote waste separation at source.
MBPJ’s Door-to-Door Collection and Recycling Programme, which started as a pilot project in 2016, was officially rolled out in 2020.
Sorting strategy: Oakleaf Park Condominium in Bukit Antarabangsa, Hulu Kelang, is one of the highrise residential properties in Selangor participating in a year-long waste segregation project initiated by Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and Malaysian Recycling Alliance. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
Some 87,128 landed residential premises in Petaling Jaya are involved in recycling as of March last year.
In Subang Jaya, a door-to-door recyclable collection programme kicked off in December 2023 in SS12 to SS19.
It was expanded to USJ1 to USJ22 last year.
In Ampang Jaya, a key initiative – Recycling Initiative for Ampang Strata (ReFAST) – was launched in 2024 to encourage highrise residences to implement waste segregation.
Jointly spearheaded by MPAJ and Malaysian Recycling Alliance (Marea), the project has received mixed response from residents.
Marea project manager Alex Lim said the mindset and beliefs of officers within management bodies of highrises were critical factors influencing the response and success of ReFAST.
Lim: Recovering plastics is Marea’s core focus, resulting in a consistent collection of around 1,200kg of plastics a month.
“This is instrumental in driving the success of recycling initiatives in the respective buildings.
“From the initial 23 properties that agreed to participate, only about 10 properties ultimately participated. The rest either withdrew or showed minimal engagement,” he said.
During the implementation period, ReFAST successfully recovered between four and seven metric tonnes of dry-mixed recyclables each month.
“Recovering plastics is Marea’s core focus and we successfully had a consistent collection of around 1,200kg of plastics a month,” he said.
“This was not only an opportunity for residents to learn how to safely and responsibly manage their waste to enable recovery, it was also crucial learning for Marea in understanding societal behaviours and practices.”
Zulki: Residents’ action of separating recyclable and non-recyclable waste makes collection easier for cleaners.
He added that through the initiative, 26 different materials including used cooking oil and e-waste were collected.
Lim said scaling up collection efforts would require clear targets and enforcement measures by the government.
One of the key challenges was developing an accurate reporting system to track recovered recyclables, he said.
“We had to rigorously track and trace the recyclables collected, and engage independent auditors to verify the numbers we report to our contributors.
“Challenges unique to the high-rise residences include infrastructural issues which prevent collection and storage.
“A key challenge was addressing the theft of recyclables.
“This was done through close collaboration with the cleaners in respective buildings regarding theft of recyclables, to prevent materials being diverted to other channels,” he explained.
While Marea was able to implement temporary solutions to support collection efforts, Lim stressed that more investment was needed in high-rises to establish dedicated waste segregation and recycling areas.
MBSJ recycling centre in USJ9 where the public can drop off recyclables. — LOW LAY PHON/The Star
Through ReFAST, a buy-back system was introduced to ensure all stakeholders involved in the collection process were compensated.
“Importantly, we ensured that the cleaners received monetary benefits for their cooperation in making this project a success.
“This work has also influenced us to look more into the support that must be provided to the informal waste workers, as they contribute to about 59% of global plastics recovered,” said Lim.
At Oakleaf Park Condominium in Bukit Antarabangsa, Hulu Kelang, about 40% of residents have consistently participated in the recycling initiative over the past year.
Building manager Zulki Awal Ibrahim said residents separated recyclable and non-recyclable waste to make collection easier for cleaners.
“In the beginning, it took time for people to get used to the idea and practise waste separation.
“But participation has been consistent, and our cleaners ensure prompt collection,” he said.
Zulki said proceeds from the sale of recyclables were shared with cleaners in a 60:40 ratio.
“We typically earn around RM400 every two weeks from recyclables.
“Over the past year we have collected about RM5,000 which has been used for minor repairs to the refuse room, including fixing the roof and shutters,” he said.
Expansion in the works
MPAJ said almost 60,000kg of recyclables were collected from December 2023 to December 2024 under the ReFAST programme.
It added that the programme would be expanded to include three more highrises – Widuri Apartment in Taman Kosas, Nadayu62 and Nadayu63 in Taman Melawati – this year.
MPAJ, in a written reply to StarMetro, said there were several criteria for selecting stratified properties for the programme.
“Residents also play a major role in the programme by separating recyclable materials such as paper, plastic, aluminium and metal from domestic waste like food scraps, before disposing them into designated recycling bins.
“The building management must ensure that separate recycling bins are placed in strategic locations, particularly nearby the main waste disposal areas.
Oakleaf Park Condominium has implemented a waste separation and recycling initiative.
“A temporary collection centre should be made available to store recyclables before they are picked up (by the designated waste collectors),” MPAJ stated.
The local council has emphasised on the building management’s responsibility in overseeing the programme.
“The joint management body (JMB) or management corporation (MC) have to actively implement and monitor recycling efforts within their respective buildings.
“They are also encouraged to conduct awareness campaigns.”
According to MPAJ, the impact of the initiative was assessed based on several key indicators, including increased data collection on recycling activities and a reduction in landfill disposal costs.
PJ Eco Recycling Plaza is popular among Petaling Jaya residents who drop off recyclables here or wish to learn about the recycling activities. — Filepic
“It has also benefitted residents and building managements financially by providing a platform for selling recyclables.”
MPAJ said the ReFAST initiative was part of its broader efforts to promote environmental sustainability and support Selangor’s goal of achieving a 15% recycling rate.
“By increasing the recycling rate, the volume of waste disposed at landfills can be cut by between 0.5% to 20% over the next few years,” the council said.
“MPAJ’s goal is to promote a circular economy by minimising waste and maximising the use of recyclable materials.”
To achieve these targets, the council said effective waste management required community involvement.
It added that MPAJ planned to enhance recycling efforts through waste separation at the source, awareness campaigns, the adoption of advanced recycling technologies, and incentive programmes for both the public and industries.
Green programmes
Besides the ReFAST programme, MPAJ has several other ongoing efforts geared towards environmental sustainability.
The “Trash to Cash” programme allows residents to exchange recyclables, used cooking oil, and e-waste for cash based on weight and market value.
This initiative, available at all 24 Residents’ Committee (JKP) zones, takes place on weekends to maximise community participation.
Similarly, the Beverage Carton Collection Programme is being implemented at 14 cafes and restaurants in Pandan Indah and Ampang Point, in collaboration with Tetra Pak and KPT Recycle Sdn Bhd.
To further promote recycling at the source, MPAJ has introduced waste collection programmes in 11 residential areas, including Taman Melawati, Taman Riverview and Taman Saga.
Additionally, recycling cage collection points have been set up at eight locations, such as Pandan Indah Phase 2 and Ampang Hospital Quarters, to facilitate easy disposal of recyclables.
The local council has also partnered with Kloth Cares for a used clothing collection initiative to promote textile recycling.
The Kloth Cares bin is located at Shell Pandan Mewah on Jalan Teratai 1/2 in Pandan Mewah, Ampang.
