A RECYCLING drive at Pasar Pagi Taman Medan in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, collected 1,251kg of recyclable materials, more than double its target of 500kg.
Some 350 Petaling Jaya residents took part in the “Recycle and Redeem” initiative from 7.30am to 12.30pm yesterday and received RM16,500 worth of shopping coupons.
Held as part of the “Sustainable PJ and Happy City Carnival”, the programme enabled residents to exchange plastic bottles, drink cans and other specified recyclable materials for coupons.
Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Zahri Samingon said the initiative combined environmental conservation with direct economic benefits for residents and local traders.
“We also needed the cooperation of traders because without their participation, the coupons could not be used,” he said.
Mohamad Zahri said some residents who learnt of the initiative that morning returned home to collect their recyclables.
Participants received RM30 in coupons for 500g of recyclable materials, RM40 for 1kg, RM50 for 1.5kg and RM60 for 2kg.
He said plastic materials took a long time to break down and should be sent to appropriate recycling facilities instead of being discarded indiscriminately.
“When bottles and other recyclable materials are placed at the proper collection points, they can be processed correctly.
“We hope that through programmes such as these, we will no longer see plastic bottles scattered along roadsides and in public places.”
Mohamad Zahri said Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) wanted all residents to adopt environmentally responsible habits to help PJ become a greener, low-carbon city.
The programme also had a lucky draw session.
The council is targeting 400 participants at each of the five morning markets across Petaling Jaya, with an estimated 2,000 beneficiaries.
Overall, the carnival’s “Recycle and Redeem” programme is expected to collect about 2,500kg of plastic waste.
The next session will be held at Pasar Pagi SS2 on July 1 followed by Pasar Tani Kota Damansara on Oct 4.
MBPJ had introduced a similar initiative during its Ramadan on Wheels @PJ programme earlier this year.
That programme involved 743 residents and collected 812kg of recyclables.
In a statement, MBPJ said 13 sustainability and community well-being programmes implemented by the council had benefitted 8,173 residents.
It added that from 2020 to last March, the council had channelled RM2.69mil, or 40% of the revenue collected through the plastic bag charge, into a trust account used to fund environmental conservation, community green initiatives and public well-being programmes.
