By Media Selangor Team
SHAH ALAM, Feb 9 — The Selangor Recycling Programme (SELKitar) has contributed to a measurable increase in the state’s recycling rate, state executive councillor for public health and environment Jamaliah Jamaluddin said in defending the initiative.
This is after experts called for greater transparency over the programme’s actual impact, The Star reported.
Jamaliah said the programme, which was launched in May last year, has helped raise Selangor’s recycling rate from 10.21 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 to 16 per cent by the end of the year, surpassing the state’s initial target of 15 per cent.
“SELKitar aims to encourage recycling practices and instill a culture of waste separation at household level,” she said, as reported by the English daily.
She added that to date, 166 tonnes of recyclable materials have been collected involving more than 200,000 households statewide.
Jamaliah said the programme, which began in Subang Jaya and Sepang before being expanded across the state, has recorded steady growth in both participation and collection volumes.
“For example, under the Kuala Langat Municipal Council (MPKL), collections increased from 1,050kg in its first month of implementation in October 2025 to 14,401kg in November and 17,915kg in December, in line with expanded coverage and higher household participation.”
She said the state has also intensified its e-waste recovery efforts, with more than 27.2 tonnes successfully collected by the end of 2025.
In the article, The Star quoted environment and waste-management specialist Theng Lee Chong as questioning the effectiveness of SELKitar, suggesting that the amount of recyclables collected per household may be far lower than headline figures suggest.
He said public data showed 77,022kg of recyclables collected from about 410,000 households between May and October last year. Theng estimated that each household contributed only about 375g of recyclables annually, or roughly one gram per day.
“This raises concerns that decision-makers at state or federal level may be presented with data that does not reflect the reality on the ground,” he said.
Theng also questioned whether deploying collection lorries across hundreds of thousands of households is justified given the relatively small volume of waste recovered. He said unless electric vehicles are used, carbon emissions from collection could outweigh environmental benefits.
Jamaliah said SELKitar is part of a broader ecosystem of recycling initiatives implemented by local authorities, which include I-Cycle recycling bins, the PJ Eco Recycling Plaza in SS8, the Smart PJ Waste Solution Lab in SS2, Jom Kitar kiosks, used cooking oil collection programmes and the Klang Recycling Centre’s ‘drop-in waste’ concept.
“These initiatives will be expanded and integrated with SELKitar to facilitate safe and ethical disposal,” she said.
Acknowledging the ongoing challenges from rising daily waste generation, Jamaliah said the state would continue strengthening policies, expanding programme coverage and intensifying public education efforts.
