Waste is something that is present in our world today due to the millions of appliances and consumables that are in use. As the population of the country keep growing, so too does the number of consumers who each generate waste of various kinds.
In Malaysia, our e-waste (including electrical appliances and devices) surpasses the weight of the iconic Twin Tower, exceeding 365,000 tonnes annually. That’s a lot of waste and it needs to disposed of properly.
Disposal of waste has long been a major issue in every country. In some countries, proper processes are in place to collect and dispose or recycle waste products. Local authorities responsible for collecting rubbish may have such processes and encourage the public to be conscious of recycling.
Since 2021, Petron Malaysia’s employees have internally collected 4,500 kgs of e-waste from various operational activities. Now to inculcate sustainable practices of e-waste disposal in the community, Petron Malaysia has collaborated with the Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) to promote e-waste recycling.
Working with DOE Selangor to broaden the scope and accessibility of e-waste collection in the community, the collaboration provides Petron’s customers with easy and convenient collection points for e-waste disposal through its service station network.
The first joint e-waste collection drive by Petron and DOE Selangor was held at the Petron Rinching service station in Semenyih, Selangor during the weekend. Residents in the area brought their unwanted or obsolete electronics and electrical waste to the service station. An appointed DOE-licensed e-waste company exchanged the items for cash and ensured that the collected e-waste is appropriately disposed of or recycled.
“Nowadays, we rely a lot on electrical and electronic goods in our daily lives. But, as a reminder to all of us to manage e-waste responsibly, if e-waste is not managed properly, such as thrown in the trash, disposed of not in a special landfill or burned at will, it can cause environmental pollution and affect human health. This is due to the toxicity of metals or chemicals from e-waste that is not handled properly,” said Jamaliah Jamaluddin, Public Health and Environment Exco of Selangor, also as the Assemblyman of Bandar Utama, Selangor, who attended the event.
“Today, I am very pleased and excited because Petron has taken up this challenge with the State Government to make this pilot project successful. I hope that this initiative can go smoothly and further raise awareness among the people of Selangor about the responsibility of preserving the environment through good e-waste management, at the same time as a way of life and culture,” she added.
Petron Malaysia has also called upon all its employees from various locations, including the Kuala Lumpur Head Office and Port Dickson Refinery, to actively participate in this e-waste collection initiative.
Petron’s new initiative to promote recycling of plastic items