39,000 Tonnes Of Daily Waste: KPKT Launches National Campaign To Shift Public Mindset

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 (Bernama) -- More than 39,000 tonnes of solid waste are collected daily across the country, most of which ends up in landfills.

Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) Urban Sustainability Division secretary Rizawati Abdul Kadir said that a large portion of this solid waste can be recycled if it is separated into plastic, paper, glass, and metal.

"Therefore, we (KPKT) want to shift the public's mindset to see waste not just as trash but as a resource that can be recovered and repurposed to support the nation's economy," she said when appearing as a guest on Bernama Radio's ‘Fokus 30: Ekonomi Kitaran programme’, titled ‘Sisa Bukan Lagi Sampah’, at Wisma Bernama here today.

In line with this, she said KPKT is implementing the National Recycling Campaign (KKSK) 2026 as a large-scale initiative that brings together all parties to intensify solid waste segregation, collection, and recycling activities.

"Apart from sustaining the supply of raw materials for local industries, this campaign also aims to educate the public to practice clean waste segregation at the household level.

"This will raise awareness that properly managed waste has high market value and can be an alternative source of income," she said.

To expand recycling among the public, Rizawati said KPKT is encouraging the establishment of more recycling collection facilities at strategic locations.

She added that the government has agreed in principle to mandate the provision of recycling centres in shopping malls as a condition for local authority business licence applications and renewals.

"The establishment of these facilities will make it easier for the public to drop off their recyclable materials while visiting shopping malls, in line with the 'Shopping Sambil Settle Sampah' concept," she said.

She also invited the public to attend the launch of KKSK 2026 at Wow Plaza, LaLaport Bukit Bintang, here on June 24, to support efforts to empower recycling practices and advance environmental sustainability.

-- BERNAMA