MELAKA: A total of 957 Trash to Cash programmes organised by the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) in collaboration with various parties have successfully collected a total of 1.6 million kilogrammes of recyclable items last year.

Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change, and Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Rais Yasin said the programme provided opportunities for the community to generate additional income amounting to RM354,798.23 and fostered awareness among the public to engage in recycling activities.

“The Trash to Cash programme also helped divert waste from being disposed of at the Sungai Udang Sanitary Landfill, thus extending the lifespan of the only solid waste disposal site in the state.

“In addition to the Trash to Cash programme, the construction of drive-through recycling centres is also one of the strategies offered to the community in this state to support the National Cleanliness Policy, which aims for a national recycling rate target of 40 per cent by next year,“ he told reporters after launching the Trash to Cash Mega Carnival at Dataran Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah (MBMB) here today.