Admit it, you bought and owned too much stuff. Whether it’s clothes, electronic goods, or just random junk, many of us fall into the trap of consumerism in our increasingly materialistic society. However, identifying the problem is the first step towards solving it. If you acknowledge that your possessions are starting to get in the way of your life, the best thing to do is to give them away or recycle them. On the latter, we believe many of you have the intention to do so but lack the knowledge of the where and the how. Hence, we’ve compiled a list of recycling centres and spots in Malaysia where you can bring your unwanted goods to and have them repurposed without damaging the environment.
Where Can I Send My Recyclable Items For Recycling In Malaysia?
Some will even reward you for your recycling effort!
1. IPC Recycling & Buy-Back Centre
Located at the parking grounds of the IPC shopping centre, this recycling hub in Malaysia provides drop convenience for people thronging the mall and those living adjacent. If you are a Tack Club member (free registration via the IPC mobile app), you will be rewarded with Tack Points when you bring in your recyclables, which can redeem a host of rewards. What’s more, there’s even a free 10-minute dedicated drop-off parking spot for those who intend to do a quick recycle run.
Location: Level LG1 (near ladies’ parking), IPC Shopping Centre, 2, Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Operating Hours: Daily, 8am -10pm (including public holidays)
Contact: 03-7730 0333 l ipc@ikano.asia
Recyclables Accepted: Refer website for the complete list
Website l Facebook l Instagram
2. H&M
Yes, fast fashion giant H&M Malaysia offers a clothing recycling program, in case you’re unaware. Simply bring any unwanted clothes or textiles (any brand and in any condition) to any of their stores nationwide and hand them over at the cash counter. As a token of appreciation, you will receive a thank you voucher for use on your next purchase.
Location: Refer website for all outlet locations.
Operating Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Contact: 1800-180-032
Recyclables Accepted: Clothes and textiles
Website l Facebook l Instagram
3. SPAO
Besides H&M, you can give your old, unwanted clothes a new lease of life by dropping them off at the SPAO outlet in Parkson Elite Pavilion KL or Sunway Velocity Mall. As a reward, you can enjoy 15% off your next purchase in the participating stores. Do note that certain items are not accepted, such as undergarments, shoes, socks, bags, and accessories.
Location:
SPAO Parkson Elite Pavilion KL – Lot 5.41, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
SPAO Sunway Velocity Mall – Lot G01 & G02, Ground Floor, Lingkaran SV, Sunway Velocity Mall, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Contact: help@spao.my
Recyclables Accepted: Clothes
Website l Facebook l Instagram
4. Kloth
Established in 2013, Kloth is a women-led social enterprise that aspires to be the catalyst of the textiles, clothing, and plastics circular economy. The award-winning unit has collected and recycled over 4 million kilograms of textiles and clothing and over 15,000 loose plastic bottles as of December 2022. To recycle your unwanted clothing and plastic goods, you can locate their recycling bins placed around Klang Valley, Putrajaya, Melaka, Johor, and Negeri Sembilan.
Location: Refer website to locate recycling bins
Contact: ask@klothcircularity.com
Recyclables Accepted: Garments, clothing accessories, footwear, bags, household textiles, children’s toys, fabric remnants
Website l Facebook l Instagram
5. L’OCCITANE
Women (and also men) everywhere can relate to amassing “empties”, especially if they use a lot of self-care products daily. Instead of throwing them away in the bin, you can bring them to selected L’OCCITANE boutiques across Malaysia to be recycled. Not only are you doing your part contributing to the recycling effort in Malaysia, but you will also be rewarded with complimentary gifts or member points.
Location: Refer website for participating stores.
Opening Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Contact: info@loccitance.com.my
Recyclables Accepted: Beauty, skincare, and hair care packaging in full size of any brand (full list here)
Website l Facebook l Instagram
6. Tetra Pack Recycle Easy
If you and your family regularly consume store-bought beverages, dealing with used cartons can be a headache. Thankfully, you can turn to Tetra Pak’s Recycle Easy initiative to dispose of them in an environmentally-friendly manner. Bring your pile of used beverage cartons to one of over 700 drop-off points/collection centres in Malaysia for recycling and have them recycled. They can be turned into roof sheets and panel boards to support home building and refurbishment projects for the Orang Asli communities, NGOs, and other community infrastructure projects.
Location: Refer website to locate drop-off points
Contact: Via website
Recyclables Accepted: Used beverage cartons
7. Alam Flora Buy Back Centre
Earn back some cash when you recycle your old items! As its name implies, the Alam Flora Buy Back Centre buys recyclable goods and sends them to its Integrated Recycling Facility (IRF). You can get as much as RM2.80 per kilogram on items such as used cooking oil, aluminium cans, and magazines.
There are several BBC collection points located in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, with some even offering drive-thru convenience.
Location: Refer here
Contact: 03-2052 7922
Recyclables Accepted: Refer here
Recycling Is Easy In Malaysia As There Are Lots Of Avenues For Doing So
With plenty of ways to go about recycling in Malaysia, there’s no excuse not to kickstart the effort today. You can start small by separating your waste and dispose of small recyclable items in the bins provided in your housing area (if there’s any). Besides all the good your action does to the environment, you can clear up much-needed space in your home for the new stuff—and feel good doing it!
We have a separate guide on where you can send e-waste to be recycled, which you can read here.
