The second phase of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives on waste management has commenced in Langkawi.
This initiative is a collaboration between the Malaysian Recycling Alliance (Marea) and the Local Government Development Ministry.
Roberto Benetello, the chief executive officer of Marea, stated that the launch of the second phase included interactive activities that aim to promote community engagement and raise awareness about proper waste management.
Benetello explained, in a statement, that these activities comprised coloring and drawing competitions for children and teenagers, as well as competitions for adults centered around waste segregation techniques, which provided participants with hands-on experience and guidance from trainers.
Marea’s contribution will facilitate the collection of recyclables from neighborhoods that are difficult to access, according to Benetello.
He added that a special collection tricycle will be able to navigate narrow rural alleys and transport the recyclables to the main road for collection by larger trucks from their partner E-Idaman.
The pilot project, which was established in August 2022, aims to foster effective collaboration among government stakeholders, producers, manufacturers, and other key stakeholders in the value chain who all share the common goal of supporting the circular economy approach.
Consisting of three phases, namely understanding, intervention, and scale-up, the project is currently in its second phase, focusing on intervention to enhance solid waste management and recycling activities in Langkawi.
This phase includes consumer education, public awareness engagements, and recycling activities within the communities of Taman Sri Aman, Kampung Padang Putih, Simfoni Beliza Apartment, and Taman Dahlia, which together cover over 1,300 households.
In Langkawi, the pilot project builds upon the ministry’s ongoing effort to develop an effective EPR policy, which aims to reduce the government’s expenditure on solid waste management.
The successful implementation of the EPR framework in Malaysia will hold producers accountable for the treatment and disposal of post-consumer products, either through self-undertaking or financial contributions.
Credit: The Star : Metro Feed
