RECYCLING efforts in Ampang Jaya, Selangor, are seeing steady uptake, as a state-led initiative continues to expand alongside existing waste-reduction programmes.
Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the local council was working closely with operators to increase participation for the Selangor Recycling (SelKitar) programme, with nearly 100 neighbourhoods now listed under its recycling initiative.
The programme, which runs six days a week, had seen generally positive response from residents although it was still in a developmental phase, he said.
According to him, 18,466kg of recyclable materials have been collected since December from Ampang Jaya through SelKitar, implemented by KDEB Waste Management.
“Participation has been encouraging, but we also find that some households do not always have a large volume of recyclables to dispose of,” he said, noting this was partly due to the presence of other recycling efforts in the area.
Among them is MPAJ’s popular weekly “trash-to-cash” programme where residents can bring a variety of items, including plastics, electronic waste and used cooking oil in exchange for incentives.
To further strengthen waste management throughout the year, Hasrolnizam said MPAJ has taken a more proactive approach by collecting recyclables directly from neighbourhoods.
“In the past, we were not always certain where waste ended up – whether at landfills or through illegal dumping.
“By managing the collection ourselves, we can ensure proper disposal while also reducing tipping fees, making it more cost-effective in the long run,” he said.
He added that MPAJ hoped to further improve the collection of specific waste streams, particularly used cooking oil, to prevent improper disposal.
SelKitar is part of a wider state-level effort to boost recycling rates, introduced in April last year.
It is a collaborative door-to-door recyclable waste collection programme between the state government and private sector.
StarMetro previously reported that the initiative had expanded to 11 of the 12 local authorities, including Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Subang Jaya.
Sabak Bernam remains the only district yet to be included, due to its lower waste volume.
Selangor environment and public health committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin said the programme had raised Selangor’s recycling rate from 12% to over 16% last year, surpassing the 15% target set under the First Selangor Plan.
Materials accepted under the programme include plastics, cardboard, used beverage cartons, paper and metal.
