KOHIJAU-ICycle Recycle System launched at Kuala Sepetang - 200 Residents Sign Up - Kinta Chronicles Blog

13 Nov 2016 by JAG

KOHIJAU-ICycle who launched their Recycle System at Kuala Sepetang this morning with the installation of their recycle bin got off to a strong start with 200 residents signing up with the system.

The launch was officiated by Kuala Sepetang Assemblywoman Chua Yee Ling together with KOHIJAU Chairman Dr Richard Ng and ICycle Director Dr Tan Ching Seong. 

Chua when contacted described the recycle system as a good peer reward system that encourages the recycling of domestic waste.

Under the system residents will earn Recycle points which can be ex-changed with cash or products similar to the Bonus Link system. 

“Talking about recycling is a big challenge in Kuala Sepetang fishing village. We have 800 households and a population of 3000.

“It will take some time for the residents to participate in recycling. Hopefully with the launch today we have kickstarted and will be able to create the awareness to sustain a recycling system”

Chua added that the effort to create awareness as continuous. 

“We started trying to recruit members since August. While we are happy that 200 of them have registered to participate in this system we are still looking for more members.

“Similarly we are happy that KOHIJAU has supported us with their recycle bin though we will need a few more going forward” said Chua. 

KOHIJAU Chairman Ng said the residents were generally positive of their recycle system which rewards contributors with points which can be ex-changed with cash or products similar to the Bonus Link system.

To participate in the program residents have to register with ICycle to receive an account number and barcode stickers. 

Residents will pack their recyclables in plastic bags, place their barcode sticker on the bag and dispose the bag at the ICycle recycle bin. 

ICycle will collect the recyclables and credit the points to their personal account which can be checked online.

Greener Ipoh by KOHIJAU - Ipoh Echo

For the love they have to make Ipoh the most liveable city in Malaysia, Associate Professor Dr Richard Ng, the President of Ipoh City Watch (ICW) and his team founded the Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Berhad (KOHIJAU) with a mission to promote recycling for a sustainable environment as part of the Social Business City adopted by Ipoh.

Within a year, ICW managed to collect over 7000kg of recyclable items under its collaborating programmes with Perak SWCorp involving 250 houses in Jelapang. As they earned about RM3000, Dr Richard believes in the potential of making recycling an opportunity to promote social enterprise.

 “After a successful campaign at Jelapang Tambahan, we gathered all our members from ICW and set up KOHIJAU to further improve the livelihood of the people while we do our part in keeping the environment clean,” said Dr Richard during the official launching of KOHIJAU on September 17.

The launching was attended not only by the dedicated members of ICW and KOHIJAU, but also the ADUN of Hulu Kinta, Datuk Aminuddin Md Hanafiah who applauded KOHIJAU. “I would like to congratulate Dr Richard, my former teacher, on his hard work and dedication to create a greener Ipoh.

There is only so much Ipoh city council can do but we hope with the help of KOHIJAU and ICW, Ipoh will perhaps one day, be once again, the city known for its cleanliness,” said Aminuddin. To further enhance the recycling business that will definitely benefit both state and public, KOHIJAU has partnered up with ICycle Malaysia. iCycle is providing a business system which allows recyclables collectors and contributors to earn Recycling Points which can be exchanged with cash or products, a system that is similar to Bonus Link.

The system will be first tested at Ipoh Loyal Apartment, courtesy of KOHIJAU in partnership with Winland Resources Sdn Bhd, the developer of the property. Aside from the apartment, Jelapang, Desa Tambun Indah and SMK Raja Chulan will also be part of the programme. Participating parties will receive account numbers and special bar-codes to stick on their recycling box or bags for tracking purposes. Their collection will then be updated into their personal account which can be checked via internet.

By Ili Aqilah

KOHIJAU: Perak’s Solution For A Sustainable Environment - Ipoh Guide

22 Sept 2016 by James

A milestone for Ipoh and the entire state of Perak was created last Saturday September 17 2016 with the launch of co-operative Koperasi Alam Hijau or KOHIJAU.

KOHIJAU’s role is to promote recycling for a sustainable environment and to further improve the livelihood of the people by maintaining a clean environment.

The co-operative was set up by NGO Ipoh City Watch as part of its motto ‘To Make Ipoh the most livable city in Malaysia’.

The launch of its office located at Sunway City, Tambun was officiated by Hulu Kinta Assemblyman Datuk Aminuddin Md Hanafiah , Ipoh City Councilor Mazlan Abdul Rahman (Zone 4 / Perpaduan / Ulu Kinta / Tambun) and ICW President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Richard Ng.

Ng who is also KOHIJAU Chairman said the co-operative had teamed up with iCycle Malaysia, a solutions provider of waste recycling system to enhance the recycling business.

The structure will see KOHIJAU providing the business network while iCycle Malaysia will provide the business system.

Under the iCycle system recyclable collectors and contributors will earn Recycling Points which can be exchanged with cash or products similar to the Bonus Link system.

Ng added that KOHIJAU has projected to sign up at least 10 corporate members, 20 schools and 100 individuals to be part of its KOHIJAU-iCycle project.

“Todate, KOHIJAU has appointed Winland Resources Sdn Bhd, the developer for Ipoh Loyal Apartment as its first corporate member.

Other members include Rukun Tetangga Jelapang, the Residents Association of Desa Tambun Indah and SMK Raja Chulan, Ipoh, Perak.

The public be it individuals, NGO or companies may apply to participate in this system where their contribution through recycling and garbage separation will earn them incentives in the form of recycling points. There is no entry fee at the moment.

iCycle Director Dr Tan Ching Seong explained that members will be provided with an account number.

Members will also be provided barcode stickers with their account numbers indicated.

“iCycle accepts all clean, dry and non food items. Place the items in a bag and paste a bar code label on the bag.

“We will collect the bag, sort the items and post your points for the items collected to your personal account which can be checked via internet” said Tan.

Ng anticipated that their members are expected to contribute 10,000kg of recyclables per month.

“With recycling points being given out as incentives in exchange for cash or products, this system can help create a sustainable recycling community”.

Ng added that with the current population of Perak at 2.4 million it is estimated that a total of 16,000,000kg of garbage will be generated each month.

“By 2020, if nothing is done, Perak will have a total of 768,000,000kg of garbage which will end up in the landfills, illegal dumpsites or ocean. As such we need to practice recycling to reduce the volume of rubbish going to the landfill”.

“The national recycling target is 20% by 2020. However to promote the practice of recycling KOHIJAU will work with Perak SW Corp, local councils and other government agencies such as Rukun Tetangga to help promote recycling.

“It is expected that through this collaboration it will help to increase the recycling rate among Perakians to at least 30% by 2020 with some community reaching as high a 60% once KOHIJAU introduces organic waste composting”.

Push to get people to recycle - Star Metro Perak

2 August 2016 - by Manjit Kaur

A TEAM has been formed in Perak to educate the public to embrace recycling in order to reduce the use of plastic bags and polystyrene containers.

Ipoh City Watch (ICW) President Prof Dr Richard Ng said the main objective of the committee, known as the Perak Action Team for a Sustainable Environment (PATSE), would be to focus on the 3Es – Educating, Engaging and Exciting the public to practise the 3Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle.

Ng, who is the chairman for the action team, said the idea to set up the body was mooted after a forum by ICW was held to discuss the state government’s decision to ban plastic bags and polystyrene containers beginning next June.

During the forum titled “The Impact of Plastics on the Sustainability of Environment: Should Plastics be Banned?” held last month, State Executive Councilor Datuk Rusnah Kassim a challenged the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) to come up with a convincing proposal for the state government to reconsider the decision on the ban, as currently the state stands firm on the decision.

Ng said the action committee comprises members of ICW, MPMA, state Solid Waste Management and Public Cleanliness Corporation (SWCorp), Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Bhd (Kohijau), local councils, and representatives from the state government.

He said at the end of the forum the panelist agreed to giving the 800 members of MPM’s Perak branch a chance to prove themselves on finding a solution to the challenge by Rusnah.

“The action team will go on a statewide campaign, starting with educational road shows during the monthly Car Free Day event.

“We will also hold talks in schools, and work with any organisation which is keen to cooperate with us,” he said recently.

During the forum last month, MPMA President Datuk Lim Kok Boon urged the state government to educate the public about waste management and littering instead of banning the use of plastic bags and polystyrene containers.

Lim said the more importance should be placed on the 3Rs, something that is done in more developed countries.

Ng said ICW is concerned about the impact of plastics on the environment, but also sympathises with MPMA’s members as the banning of plastics bags will affect their revenue.

Ng said, as one of the four panelists for the forum, ICW supports the government’s move in banning the use of polystyrene and plastic bags effective June 1, next year.

“I made my point clear that by 2020, if nothing is done, Perak will generate three billion tonnes of garbage, of which 450,000 tonnes or about 15% of the total garbage consist of plastics.

“Plastics takes a few hundred years to degrade and this will impact the sustainability of our environment. Plus, plastics are made from petroleum which is a non-renewable source of energy,” he added.

Getting something out of garbage - The Star Metro Perak

22 Sept 2016 by Ivan Loh

A RECYCLING programme where people turn in rubbish for points that can be exchanged for gifts will be first conducted at a school and condominium in Ipoh.

Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Bhd (Kohijau) Chairman Prof Dr Richard Ng said the programme, a collaboration with recycling company iCycle Malaysia, will be conducted at SMK Raja Chulan and Loyal Garden Residences.

“The school is set to begin the programme this Saturday.

“The programme will begin at the condominium by the year-end. An agreement has been made with the condominium’s management and all its residents will be programme members,” he said during the launching of Kohijau’s office at Dataran Sunway by Hulu Kinta Assemblyman Datuk Aminuddin Md Hanafiah last Saturday.

“We will provide recycling bins for the segregated garbage,” he added.

Kohijau is a cooperative set up by members of non-governmental organisation Ipoh City Watch (ICW) to improve the livelihoods of people while keeping the environment clean.

The recycling-for-points programme requires participating members to segregate their waste for collection.

The collected waste is then weighed and points allocated to the members.

The points can then be used to redeem household items or vouchers.

Ng said each registered member will be given stickers with a barcode to be put on the garbage bag.

“They will need to put the sticker on the rubbish bag before dumping iy in the recycling bin.

“After the waste is collected, it will be weighed and different types of garbage will be allocated different points. The barcode will then be scanned to allocate the points to the respective members,” he said.

“Members then log in to iCycle Malaysia’s website to check their collected points. Everything will be computerised and easy,” he added.

iCycle Malaysia Director Prof Dr Tan Ching Seong said the recycling-for-points programme has already started in Pangkor and is doing well.

He said iCycle collects various wastes that are, clean and dry, and non-food.

The main objective, Tan said, is to lessen the omount of rubbish sent to landfills.

In his opening speech earlier, Aminuddin said the people need to change their attitude towards the environment.

“They always want places to be clean but they themselves don’t make an effort.

“The responsibility of keeping a place clean not only falls on the local council or state representatives but also the people,” he said.

“I think more engagement needs to be held with the people so they are aware and to take part in recycling programmes,” he added.

Aminuddin said the Kohijau-iCycle project could rope in village chiefs to explain to them its concept.

“If people can profit from segregating their rubbish, maybe this can change their mindset,” he said.

Aminuddin also said Kohijau should seek out primary schools to take part in its programmes.

“I think children will enjoy taking part in this programme more than adults.

“We also need to start teaching the concept of taking care of the environment to the children as early as possible,” he said, adding adults might find it harder to accept new concepts.

For more details on the recycling-for-points programme, visit www.gogreenonline.net.