Jordan’s first recycled plastic toothbrush introduced as part of 3R campaign
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| (From left) Mr. William Koong, CEO of Biji-biji Initiative, Professor Dr. P. Agamuthu, Professor, University of Malaya, Mr. Eric Yong, Country Manager of Malaysia for Jordan Asia Pacific, Her Excellency Ms. Gunn Jorid Rose |
The
event was attended by the Ambassador of Norway to Malaysia, Her
Excellency Ms. Gunn Jorid Roset, and officiated by the Director General
of the Department of Environment
(DOE), Malaysia, Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Kamarulnajuib bin Che
Ibrahim. The event also saw the attendance of environmental
non-governmental organisations as a show of support for Jordan’s Green
Clean initiative.
The
Green Clean campaign is expected to run from April to December in
different phases, expected to be revealed later. Eric Yong, Country
Manager of Jordan Asia Pacific said,
“Recognising the need to raise the awareness on the 3Rs in Malaysia, we
aim to work with our eco-partners to share as much information to the
public through the help of our media colleagues over the course of this
campaign.” Sharing a ‘sneak preview’ of what
is to come in the next phase, Eric said, “We will be rolling out an old
toothbrush collection drive and when that takes place, we hope to get
as much support from the Malaysian public as possible.”
Speaking
at the event were Professor Dr. P. Agamuthu, a Professor at the
University of Malaya, as well as International Advisory Board Member of
the Society of Solid Waste
Management Experts in Asia and Pacific Islands, and William Koong, the
Chief Executive Officer of Biji-Biji Initiative, a leading social
enterprise which champions sustainable living, reusing wastes
creatively, and collaborative production using discarded
materials.
According
to Professor Dr. P. Agamuthu, there were approximately 14 million
tonnes of municipal solid wastes generated in Malaysia in 2019, or
40,000 tonnes a day, and the
overall recycling rate that year was 17.5 per cent. He also shared that
plastic was the second highest household waste at 13.2 per cent, behind
food waste which comprised of 44.5 per cent household waste composition
in 2017.
Professor
Dr. P. Agamuthu said, “Malaysia aims to become a zero-waste nation and
that is where 3R comes in. In order to reduce the generation of wastes,
we need to reuse,
recycle and compost most of what is thrown away. Unfortunately, the
current uptake of 3R is minimal as a majority of municipal solid wastes
are sent to landfills.” He continued, “3R is important to avoid the
mining and extraction of new materials, to reduce
demands on natural resources, to reduce carbon and other emissions, for
waste reduction, and to reduce the usage of non-renewable energies. In
order to successfully implement 3R in Malaysia, participation of all
stakeholders is crucial.”
Sharing
his knowledge on plastic recycling, William added, “Plastics are
classified into seven different categories and not all of them are
recyclable. In fact, some plastics
produce hazardous materials after being reused multiple times or if
being put under extreme conditions. It is therefore important to reduce
plastic usage and to avoid single-use plastics.” He continued, “Plastic
recycling plays a part in providing a source
of sustainable raw materials while reducing the impact to the
environment and landfill problems.”
Her
Excellency Ms. Gunn Jorid Roset also shared information on Norway’s
efforts in plastic recycling. She said, “97 per cent of plastic bottles
in Norway are recycled. This
being the outcome of our nationwide bottle deposit scheme.” She added,
“Plastic producers also play a part in improving plastic recycling in
Norway. They are incentivised with zero taxation on Environmental Tax if
they achieve a collective recycling target
of 95 per cent.”
Yang
Berbahagia Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Kamarulnajuib said, “The 3Rs are the
cornerstone to becoming a zero-waste nation and this cannot be achieved
overnight. Everyone plays a part
in the efforts to becoming a sustainable nation. From separating your
household wastes, to manufacturing fully recycled products for
consumption, it is crucial for us to start being ‘Eco at Heart’.”
“It
is also important for us to look at another R, which is “Replace”.
Manufacturers and importers need to look into alternatives which are
friendly to the environment and
safe to use. Consumers also need to be discerning when purchasing
consumables and equip themselves with the knowledge on which products
are eco-friendlier as compared to others.” he continued.
During
the launch, Jordan introduced the Green Clean Toothbrush, which Jordan
says is their greenest toothbrush ever. Sandee Chai, Jordan Asia
Pacific’s Regional Brand Manager
said, “At our core, we are 100 per cent Eco at Heart. Designed by
renowed interior designer, Andreas Engesvik, the product’s functional
design combined both beauty and sustainability in one eco-friendly Green
Clean toothbrush.” She continued, “Made of 100
per cent recycled plastic, with 100 per cent bio-based bristles, and
packaged in a 100 per cent green packaging, the Green Clean toothbrush
has given materials a new life and has enabled the minimising of
resource use, which is in line with our 3R philosophy.”
