Perlis folk happy to turn trash into cash

Value in rubbish: The DTRC facility in Kangar is provided by E-Idaman to encourage people to cultivate the habit of recycling. — Bernama

KANGAR: Garbage may be dirty but there’s “gold” in there if you recycle it, as some people in Perlis are finding out.

Vegetable seller Choong Xian Jun, 26, said, “trash is cash” and he is quite happy to sell it.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of. Instead of throwing it by the side of the road and bothering others, it is better if I collect and sell it,” he told Bernama when met at the Drive Thru Recycle Centre (DTRC) here recently.

Choong said every day after selling vegetables, his routine would be to collect paper and plastic items and cardboard boxes from his house and shop to be sent to the DTRC once a week.

“Usually I can collect about RM25 a week. Even though the amount is not that big, it gives me satisfaction because I get to maintain the cleanliness of my house and shop,” he said.

A teacher, Effendy Che Kusni, 47, said he has been recycling goods for a long time and seeing piles of rubbish makes him uncomfortable.

“In the past, it was quite difficult to manage recyclable items, but now the DTRC makes it easier for the public to practise recycling,” he said.

E-Idaman Sdn Bhd planning and operations manager Ahmad Zikry Badrin said the DTRC is one of the company’s efforts to cultivate recycling within the community.

“The facility in Perlis started operations in April 2021 and the public has been using it well for recycling.

“The collection rate of recyclable items in Perlis in 2021 was 539,646kg, an increase of 24% from 436,785kg the previous year,” he said.

Ahmad Zikry said E-Idaman will set up another DTRC in Arau, Perlis, six in Kedah and one in Perak.

“This will make it easier for people to drop off their recyclable items.

“Before this, they had to wait for collection day and put the items in a cage. Now, they can send their items here in exchange for money,” he added.