By Mu Vitet
Kota Kinabalu: The public can now drop off used glass and plastic bottles for recycling at the newly launched Community Initiative for Recycling, Circular Learning and Education (Ripple Centre) at the Luyang multipurpose hall.
Ripple Chairperson Michelle De La Harpe said the volunteer-run centre will start accepting glass and plastic bottles every Sunday from 9am to 12pm beginning next month.
“Volunteers will help sort, clean and crush the items for recycling,” she said at the launch of the Ripple Centre by Kapayan Assemblywoman Datuk Jannie Lasimbang.
Supported by the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia – Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG), Michelle said the centre aims to become a community hub for recycling, environmental education, and household waste management.
She said 15 persons from the B40 group and those currently jobless will be recruited in August and trained to manage local recycling activities.
Planned activities include refurbishing the community learning centre, providing mobile collection bins, setting up neighbourhood drop-off points, and running workshops on recycling, sustainable development goals (SDGs), and waste sorting.
Michelle said the project addresses poor recycling infrastructure and low public awareness by setting up a proper system that helps reduce landfill waste and pollution, while encouraging people to take action to protect the environment.
“It also creates small income opportunities and supports youth and women in starting green businesses,” she said.
Since it began in 2019 up to September 2024, Ripple has collected 41,284.80 kilogrammes of glass bottles, keeping 208,509 bottles out of landfills and cutting down 6,880.80 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions.
She added that the initiative had the help of 707 volunteers, received 1,707 visitors and held 588 workshops.
From April 2023 to July 2024, Ripple’s plastic recycling project diverted 22.06 tonnes of plastic from landfills.
“As incentives, RM28,654.45 worth of rewards were given to the public, including RM2 per kilogramme for properly cleaned plastic items.
“The sale of recycled products brought in RM30,056.60, which helped cover our running costs,” she said.
Michelle said the project hopes to remain sustainable in the long run by building recycling habits in the community and training locals to manage drop-off points and logistics even after funding ends.
She said Ripple will continue to support upcycling efforts, connect with buyers for recycled goods, and work with local councils so the programme can be used in more areas.
Also present at the launch were Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry Permanent Secretary Datuk Josie Lai and Ripple Project Director Tressie Yap.
