Recycling is not always an easy task. It is of utmost importance though, as waste has such a huge negative impact on our environment.
Many questions have been raised as to the efficacy of the Malaysian recycling programmes. Malaysia is targeting a mere 40% increase in recycling by 2025. But how feasible is that number? More here in this article.
We are encouraged to wash our plastic and tin and glass and separate them from our kitchen waste, but do these items get correctly separated and recycled? We can only hope they do. Here is some useful information in this guide on why and how we should separate our waste.
We’ve done a bit of digging, and here is an updated list of helpful recycling centres and other places to take those pesky items in KL.
Organic kitchen waste
Drop off your fruit and vegetable peels at your local community garden. The volunteers there will love it! Find a list of gardens here (see the bottom of article). Have a look at our article about the Taman Sri Hartamas community garden here.
Old clothes and fabrics
- You could drop them at your nearest Kloth Cares drop-off bin. Kloth is a women-led social enterprise that aspires to become the catalyst of textiles, clothing and plastics circular economy.
- You can also bring them into H&M and get a discount when you purchase new clothes.
- Please check out UrbanR Recycle; they recycle a lot of different items.
Books
- Check out UrbanR Recycle +.
- Join the book swap Facebook group.
- You can also drop off or swap your books at BukuHub, at Publika shopping centre on the top floor.
Electronic waste and batteries
- Check out UrbanR Recycle +.
- Drive-Thru Recycling Centre Alam Flora (DTRC), off Jalan Chan Sow Lin.
- Batteries only at Win Wins Recycling Trading Sdn. Bhd.), in Setapak (Gateweld Sdn Bhd).
- Batteries at Mutiara Damansara (IPC Recycling & Buy-Back Centre).
- At One Utama (1RECYCLING CENTRE (1RC) they accept E-waste, plastic bottles, aluminium cans, paper, carton boxes, clothes and toys.
- Get paid to drop off electronics at ERTH: Electronic Recycling (E-waste) in Cyberjaya.
General recyclables
- Drop of at the Tzu Chi recycling centres, here is a list with locations.
- PJ Eco Recycling Plaza, SS8.
- Earn some cash and drop off your items at the Alam Flora initiatives DTRCs (Drive-Thru Recycling Centre Alam Flora). They are located at Jalan Tiong Nam Mustering Point and Jalan Bunus 6 Mustering Point.
- Bubble wrap can be dropped off at The Hive Bulk Foods, Malaysia’s first zero waste shop in Bangsar and TTDI. It will be reused for shipping purposes.
Tips
- Check out our article for ideas on How to recycle with kids.
- Zero Waste Malaysia has created a very useful map to access the zero waste resources in Malaysia. More info on Zero Waste Malaysia here.
Please do let us know if we missed any! There are so many great initiatives around. We can all do our part to help.
