Malaysia has set a target of reducing recyclable sent to landfill of 40 percent by year 2025. The National Recycling Rate has reached 31.52% in year 2021. The recycling rate have not really grown in tandem with the increase of population. The average Malaysian throws away 1.64kg of waste every day.
Recycling is part of zero waste hierarchy although it is low in the priorities. Zero Waste main aim is to reduce what we need, reuse as much as we can, send little to recycling and compost what we cannot recycle
But why ZWES goes into incentivize recycling activities?
In our day to day zero waste business, we found that there is lack of knowledge in Malaysia on how to do proper waste segregation. Recycling keeps waste out of landfill and incinerators. Lifestyle change to zero waste is not easy but not impossible. We want to first reward and educate the community on the right way to recycling.
If we can learn to recycle as a culture and habit , then we can learn to be zero waste
We incentivize the community to recycling by converting waste to ZWES Cash Vouchers. It will also lessen the financial burden of the community as the cash vouchers can convert into basic necessities such as laundry detergent, dish wash, shampoo, food in refill way.
We incentivize recycling and introduce them to Zero Waste
Through this, we are promoting environmental sustainability instead of creating more waste
What type of recyclables that we accept during the ZWES Recycle Day:
1) Plastic (Resin No 1 to 7)
Plastic Resin No 1 to 7. Look out for the triangle sign at the bottom of the containers. The list including CD and cassette
However, plastic egg tray, PET cup, PET wrappers are not acceptable
2) Metal
3) Paper
4) Used Cooking Oil
5) Textile categories
6) E-Waste (Including Cables, Printers)
7) Aluminium
8) Car Batteries
9) Glass Jar and Bottles
10) Bubble Wrap and Shrink Wrap
Zero Waste Earth Store (ZWES) also working on circular economy model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling
We collaborate with Upcycle4better and Life Line Clothing Malaysia to upcycle fabrics that we collected to useful products such as reusable shopping bags, lanyard, coaster, scrunchies and key chain.
We created @Kain.ness by ZWES as a circular economy project to upcycle the fabrics collected and providing job opportunities to our sewers from the B40 community, retirees, and OKU
