Petron Malaysia has recently installed a ‘reverse vending’ machine (RVM) to promote recycling of plastic items as well as aluminium cans. The initiative is in partnership with Klean Malaysia, a Malaysian start-up which has created a connected recycling ecosystem covering infrastructure, rewards and reporting.
Shifting recycling behaviour
The strategic partnership marks a new initiative by Petron Malaysia to amplify its environmental sustainability efforts. The objective is to foster a shift in recycling behaviour, which is usually the first step towards a circular economy. This aligns with the petroleum company’s commitment to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 11 1 and 12 2 and the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 towards plastic circularity.
Plastics remain as a high usage in homes and businesses today despite its toxicity and contributions to pollution. As it is a cheap and convenient alternative; it is often used at the expense of the environment. For instance, the material is used for packaging to protect food from damage in transit and preserve it before it reaches supermarket shelves. So the key strategy here is to increase public awareness of responsible plastic consumption and ensure waste plastics are recovered and diverted from landfills.
Malaysia among top 10 in the world
“At Petron, we are aware of the rising of plastic waste as Malaysia is reportedly one of the top 10 countries in the world with the highest plastic waste. Our collaboration today with Klean Malaysia is a game-changer in recycling. We are hopeful that the Klean RVM installed at our service stations will play a part in increasing public understanding and shaping community perceptions of how to dispose of plastic responsibly,’ said Shaliza Mohd Sidek, Head of Retail Business Petron Malaysia.
Reward points for recycling
To encourage people to get into the habit of recycling, points are given whenever deposits are made at the RVM. These points can be accumulated using the Klean Recycling app and then used for voucher redemption.
Promoting plastic recycling is not new to plastic recycling. In December last year, its service station dealers in the southern region initiated a 3-month ‘Rehydrate and Recycle’ campaign to educate customers to be responsible plastic users. At the end of the campaign, they collected 255 kgs of plastic bottle caps and re-purposed them into 16 benches. The benches were then donated to the Johor state government for tourism usage.
The AI-driven RVM is backed by a machine-learning mechanism, allowing it to detect the type of container deposited immediately. On the backend, the RVM tracks and collects real-time data such as the number of recyclers, quantities of plastic and aluminium deposited in the machines, and the estimated carbon dioxide removed from the environment, which helps to identify the impact on the environment.
Tax-deductible status
Klean is the only company in the RVM ecosystem industry to secure a 100% tax-deductible status from the Ministry of Finance. This means that companies working with Klean are able to deduct the expense (for the set-up) from their income tax (applicable until December 31, 2024).
100 locations in Klang Valley
The first RVM is located at the Petron station in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Over the next few months, Petron plans to expand the installation of machines to more service station locations in its network. A total of 100 locations in the Klang Valley are expected to have RVMs.
