Recycling collectors turn recycling centre into battlefield as they fight to collect useful items from public

Recycling collectors are people who collect recyclable materials from the public, and when they are seemingly doing a good deed for our environment, there are incidents of hostility among these collectors who are fighting for more useful stuff.

According to Dayak Daily, Stampin member of parliament (MP) Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant, Michael Kong Feng Nian, said collectors have become more aggressive lately and started fights over items they’ve found.

This created a hostile and dangerous environment in the neighbourhood, and the residents are now fearful of wanting to drop off their recyclable items there.

Kong said this came after the authorities seem to be lax in managing the BDC Recycling Centre.

“At this BDC Recycling Centre, there is a group of ragpickers who would just sit in front of the centre and collect unwanted goods from the public.”

“Goods that are usable and sellable will be kept by them and the rest will be left at the centre,” he said.

Proper management required

Kong shared that the BDC Recycling Centre is currently being managed by the Persatuan Pencinta Kitar Semula Taman BDC, of which Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap is the legal advisor.

Following the incident, Kong is of the opinion that the association could not manage the recycling centre properly.

“It is high time that the council takes back control of centres such as the BDC Recycling Centre and manages it correctly for the safety of the public,” Kong said.

“Proper management would also go a long way to fixing this eyesore and instilling confidence and comfort within the people to recycle.”

We hope that the authorities will take action against those who cause disorder in the community and place enforcement officers to prevent such incidents from happening.