Latest news with #EtikaGroupofCompanies
The Star
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Make it a habit to tackle e-waste
One for the album: Nik Nazmi (centre) with Etika Group of Companies chief executive officer Santharuban Thurai Sundaram and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry deputy secretary-general (development) Datuk Nor Yahati Awang with the world's thinnest reverse vending machine with a compaction system. — Bernama PUTRAJAYA: Setting up household e-waste collection centres and dedicating one day per month for recycling electronics are among initiatives to reduce such waste nationwide, says Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister said there are 140 registered household e-waste collection centres and 161 licensed premises nationwide authorised to receive e-waste. This includes 45 full off-site recovery facilities that are capable of extracting valuable and precious metals from discarded electronic products, he told The Star. 'The government's household e-waste management mechanism provides a legal framework to reduce and recycle e-waste. 'The mechanism governs the lifecycle of six categories of household e-waste, from generation to final disposal, while operationalising the extended producer responsibility (EPR) principle. "This system places shared responsibility on importers, manufacturers, retailers, consumers, collectors and recyclers,' he said in response to questions about how the government plans to tackle Malaysia's mounting e-waste problem. The Environment Department estimates that the country will likely produce 24.5 million units of e-waste in 2025. This is an increase from 23.8 million in 2024 and 22.7 million in 2023, with the majority of waste being mobile phones followed by personal computers. In the last two decades, the country has produced 2.62 million tonnes of e-waste, which when piled up, is about 300m taller than Penang's Komtar building, which is 249m tall. As part of its efforts to address the issue, the ministry has declared the last Saturday of every month as the official national e-waste collection day, Nik Nazmi said. 'The ministry has launched nationwide awareness campaigns to encourage households to segregate e-waste and deliver it to registered collection centres or licensed recyclers capable of handling e-waste in an environmentally sound manner," he explained. He added that the government is also promoting the circular economy approach to e-waste management to reduce reliance on landfills and treat e-waste as a resource. 'Our goal is to reduce e-waste generation, enhance reuse and recycling, and increase raw material efficiency, contributing to the sustainable consumption of natural resources," he noted. Nik Nazmi added that the government is also committed to combating illegal global e-waste trafficking in line with its obligations under the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal. 'We are working with the Basel Action Network (BAN), as well as the police and Customs Department to strengthen border control and take swift action against illegal transboundary movements of e-waste. 'The collaborations have led to the successful interception and repatriation of illegal waste shipments, and underline our firm stance against environmental crimes," he said. Action against the illegal e-waste trade is taken under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005, which regulates the transportation and management of scheduled wastes, including e-waste, he added. 'In cases involving criminal syndicates or illicit financial flows, we also invoke the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 to investigate and prosecute offenders," Nik Nazmi said.
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia leads sustainability with launch of Atlas Ecopod, world's thinnest reverse vending machine
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has officially entered the record books with the unveiling of the Atlas Ecopod, now certified as the world's thinnest reverse vending machine. The Atlas Ecopod is specifically designed to collect and recycle polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and aluminum cans. Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said its development aligns with the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Speaking at the launch and Guinness World Records certificate presentation today, Nik Nazmi highlighted the machine's role in advancing the country's environmental targets, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The Ecopod, a locally designed and built innovation, was developed by Atlas Vending, a subsidiary of the Etika Group of Companies. 'Malaysia still generates over one million tonnes of plastic waste annually. This presents a major challenge not only in urban areas but also in rural communities, affecting both public health and economic stability,' he said. Emphasising the need for more efficient recycling infrastructure, Nik Nazmi added that the Ecopod showcases how plastic waste can be compacted and processed effectively—reducing dependence on manual labour and lowering operational costs. He also said while steps have been taken to reduce single-use plastics, Malaysia still lacks clear regulations for dealing with plastics that can't be avoided. 'Last week in Geneva, I joined talks on the Global Plastic Treaty. We're pushing for a fair and forward-looking deal,' he said. 'But at home, we need stronger laws to support recycling of unavoidable plastic waste.' As part of a nationwide sustainability initiative, the Ecopad will see its first 100 units installed in high-traffic areas across Malaysia, encouraging the public to recycle used Etika beverage containers. The Ecopod is designed for scalability and easy use in urban areas. Its compact size allows it to be installed in tight spaces such as public transport stations, building lobbies, and schools—making recycling more accessible for all Malaysians. Each machine is equipped with a barcode scanner that verifies brands and rewards users for recycling Etika bottles and cans. Etika Group chief executive officer Santharuban Thurai Sundaram said the machine is a 100% Malaysian-made solution that blends sustainability with innovative technology. 'This milestone demonstrates Malaysia's capability to lead in the global green economy,' he said. 'It transforms recycling into an engaging experience, with AI-enabled systems and a rewarding mechanism that encourages eco-conscious behaviour among everyday users,' he added.
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia unveils Atlas Ecopod, world's thinnest recycling machine
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has officially entered the record books with the unveiling of the Atlas Ecopod, now certified as the world's thinnest reverse vending machine. The Atlas Ecopod is specifically designed to collect and recycle polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and aluminum cans. Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said its development aligns with the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Speaking at the launch and Guinness World Records certificate presentation today, Nik Nazmi highlighted the machine's role in advancing the country's environmental targets, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The Ecopod, a locally designed and built innovation, was developed by Atlas Vending, a subsidiary of the Etika Group of Companies. 'Malaysia still generates over one million tonnes of plastic waste annually. This presents a major challenge not only in urban areas but also in rural communities, affecting both public health and economic stability,' he said. Emphasising the need for more efficient recycling infrastructure, Nik Nazmi added that the Ecopod showcases how plastic waste can be compacted and processed effectively—reducing dependence on manual labour and lowering operational costs. He also said while steps have been taken to reduce single-use plastics, Malaysia still lacks clear regulations for dealing with plastics that can't be avoided. 'Last week in Geneva, I joined talks on the Global Plastic Treaty. We're pushing for a fair and forward-looking deal,' he said. 'But at home, we need stronger laws to support recycling of unavoidable plastic waste.' As part of a nationwide sustainability initiative, the Ecopad will see its first 100 units installed in high-traffic areas across Malaysia, encouraging the public to recycle used Etika beverage containers. The Ecopod is designed for scalability and easy use in urban areas. Its compact size allows it to be installed in tight spaces such as public transport stations, building lobbies, and schools—making recycling more accessible for all Malaysians. Each machine is equipped with a barcode scanner that verifies brands and rewards users for recycling Etika bottles and cans. Etika Group chief executive officer Santharuban Thurai Sundaram said the machine is a 100% Malaysian-made solution that blends sustainability with innovative technology. 'This milestone demonstrates Malaysia's capability to lead in the global green economy,' he said. 'It transforms recycling into an engaging experience, with AI-enabled systems and a rewarding mechanism that encourages eco-conscious behaviour among everyday users,' he added.
The Star
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Guinness World Record recycling machine will help cut nation's carbon footprint, says Nik Nazmi
PUTRAJAYA: The world's thinnest reverse vending machine that compacts cans and bottles is expected to contribute to Malaysia's goal of increasing the recycling rate of plastics, says Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. The Atlas ECOPOD will hopefully also reduce the use of new plastic materials, said the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister. 'This is not just a Malaysian corporate achievement, but will support the national initiative to increase recycling, reduce our carbon footprint and transition to a circular and green economy,' said Nik Nazmi, when launching the ECOPOD, which was developed by local firm Atlas Vending. This initiative could also help the country meet its targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing recycling and reducing the demand for the production of new plastic materials, Nik Nazmi said. 'Malaysia produces more than 1 million tonnes of plastic waste a year and of that, only a fraction is recycled. I believe that the ECOPOD could help our national goal of cutting down on that waste,' Nik Nazmi said when launching the machine at his ministry, here Thursday (May 8). The 35cmm-wide machine is expected to sit next to the 7,000 existing vending machines operated by Atlas Vending, says Etika Group of Companies CEO Santharuban Thurai Sundaram. The Etika Group of Companies owns Atlas Vending, which is recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records as the largest food and beverage vending machine operator across Malaysia and Singapore. These vending machines sell 16 brands of the most popular juices, sodas and waters nationwide, said Santharuban. Consumers will be able to earn credits by feeding the ECOPOD empty plastic bottles and aluminium cans from beverages bought at any Atlas Vending machine. 'These credits can then be redeemed and used at the vending machine for buying beverages'. In the initial rollout, the company plans to install 100 ECOPODS next to its vending machines nationwide, especially in high traffic areas such as transport hubs, malls and universities. Today's launch ceremony also saw the Guinness Book of World Records recognising the ECOPOD for being the 'Thinnest Reverse Vending Machine with a Compaction System'.
