Daikin Malaysia Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Toshiharu Tsumaru (centre) with Iwatani Malaysia Sdn Bhd managing director Nobuharu Tamura (second from left), Daikin Malaysia Sales and Service Sdn Bhd managing director Lawrence Song (second from right), Department of Environment principal assistant director Ryan Ooi (left) and Acson Malaysia Sales and Service Sdn Bhd managing director Yeap Kin Oun at the launch of Daikin’s ‘Save The Earth: Exchange for the Future Generation’. – KAMARUL ARIFFIN/TheStar
DAIKIN Malaysia is on a mission to save planet earth! The company has launched its refrigerant recovery campaign – themed ‘Save the Earth: Exchange for the Future Generation’ – to reduce its environmental impact and promote responsible waste management practices.
Daikin Malaysia chief operating officer Toshiharu Tsurumaru said the programme involves recovering refrigerants from end users during air-conditioner replacements, servicing, and maintenance through its network of installers. The collected refrigerants will then be carefully stored and purified for reuse.
“Recovered refrigerants will be processed to restore its purity level to meet the AHRI 700 international standards, and will be equivalent to new refrigerants,” said Tsurumaru during Daikin’s air conditioner refrigerant recovery initiative at One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya recently.
He added that Daikin Malaysia has partnered with industrial supplier Iwatani Malaysia Sdn Bhd to foster technological advancements and operational efficiencies, further reducing their environmental impact and supporting climate goals. Both companies strive to minimise GHG emissions and global warming by investing in proactive solutions.
“We would jointly implement the process of refrigerant recovery, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. We are delighted to collaborate with Iwatani Malaysia, with support from Malaysia’s Department of Environment.
“This partnership underscores our shared commitment to sustainability,” he said.
He noted that Daikin and Iwatani are confident that their role in recovering refrigerants will expand as they are optimising existing resources and embracing the principles of the circular economy.
Under the programme, Daikin Malaysia and its affiliates – Daikin Malaysia Sales and Service Sdn Bhd and Acson Malaysia Sales and Service Sdn Bhd – will work with authorities, businesses and households to facilitate the collection of used refrigerants.
This includes setting up drop-off points, organising collection drives and ensuring collected refrigerants are disposed of in compliance with environmental regulations.
“Daikin is moving towards a circular economy for refrigerants. Our unique refrigerant recycling service, ‘recover, reclaim, reuse,” is central to Daikin’s refrigerant programme.
“Refrigerant recovery is necessary to ensure safe and responsible handling of refrigerants. This helps prevent the release of harmful substances that causes global warming into the atmosphere. It also reduces the need for producing new refrigerants,” said Tsurumaru.
Daikin Malaysia Sales and Service Sdn Bhd managing director Lawrence Song said the total target collection of refrigerant is 10,000 units by March 2025.
“This amount reaches up to 11.5 tonnes of CO2 which is equivalent to a fossil-fuelled vehicle travelling 3.1 million kilometres or circling the earth 77 times.
“Our campaign could save 350,000 trees in one year,” said Song.
Currently a pilot project, Daikin Malaysia’s refrigerant recovery programme will be conducted in Klang Valley as its collection centre is located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The programme will be extended to the whole of Malaysia in the near future.
Tsurumaru said this initiative demonstrates Daikin Malaysia’s unwavering commitment towards net-zero emission by 2050 and is in line with Daikin Group’s Environmental Vision 2050.
“Our vision is to promote business growth while mitigating the impact to climate change. We aim to reduce GHG emissions throughout the life cycle by 30% or more in 2025 and 50% or more in 2030 compared with 2019 levels,” said Tsurumaru.
