Dr Sim (left) deposits a plastic bottle into the machine as Ling looks on.
Dr Sim (left) and Ling show the tokens, which would be printed out after a plastic bottle or an aluminium can is deposited into the machine.
KUCHING: Shoppers at tHe Spring Shopping Mall can now collect rewards every time they dispose of plastic bottles and aluminium drinking cans – thanks to the instalment of a special vending machine there.
The system is touted to be the first of its kind here.
According to tHe Spring Management Services Sdn Bhd general manager Datin Christine Ling, the machine is part of the mall’s ‘Operation Recycle’ campaign.
“Under the campaign, we are collaborating with Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, which has designed this machine. We also want to provide the university’s Robotics Department a platform for them to showcase their talent and potential to the public,” she spoke at the unveiling of the special vending machine at the mall yesterday, at a ceremony officiated by Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Ling also explained the mechanism of this system – those wanting to dispose of plastic bottles or aluminium cans could deposit them one at a time into the machine which in turn, would print out a token for every deposit.
Those who collect a certain number of tokens can redeem items from an assigned outlet at the mall.
A different outlet would be assigned every month.
According to Ling, the mall management understands that the community responds better to incentives when it comes to recycling.
She said the idea behind this system came about when she travelled overseas about a year ago.
“Upon returning here, I had this idea about this being what Kuching needed. With the machine located conveniently in the mall, our shoppers can recycle plastic bottles or aluminium cans at their convenience.”
On the shopping mall’s ‘Operation Recycle’ campaign, Ling said it kicked off about a month ago and so far, she described the response as ‘amazing’ – 5,280 plastic bottles and aluminium cans had been collected.
“We hope that our ‘Operation Recycle’ campaign could foster and develop the ‘green habit’ in Kuchingites, gradually,” she said.