M’sian Company Finds Mould & Maggots in Their Recycling Box as People Dropped Unwashed Items

Recycling is something that we’ve been taught to do ever since we were young but how many of us actually follow through with it and do it properly?

In a video by The Olive Tree (a Malaysian brand that offers natural skincare made in Australia) we can see that some Malaysians have discarded rubbish into the company’s recycling box.

@theolivetreecompany

It is so sad to see what are in our #recycle bins ? Please ensure all recycle materials are clean and dry so that our community could upcycling them into beautiful items.#fyp #recycletok #behindthescenes #ONELESS #upcycling #ecofriendly

♬ original sound – Chloe Adams

The company collects these recycled materials and gives them new life by upcycling them into different products.

In the 13 seconds video where they unlocked a recycling box, there were unclean cups inside which resulted in the appearance of maggots and also mould.

Other than that, there were also non-recyclable items inside (not all plastics can be recycled!). Hence, this ended up as more work for the team as they need to clean up the spills and mould.

In the caption, The Olive Tree says,

“Please ensure all recycle materials are clean and dry so that our community can upcycle them into beautiful items.”

In another video, they have shown us, the consumers how to prepare items to be recycled, the steps include:

1. Peeling off the label.
2. Cleaning and drying the item.
3. Dropping them off at recycling bins.

It’s actually quite easy!

From your plastic bags and plastic containers, the team at The Olive Tree will be upcycling them to produce coasters from hard plastic, bags and coin purses from the plastic bags.

@theolivetreecompany

Behind the scene of how the upcycled products are made. #fyp #recycletok #saynotoplastic #repurpose #upcycle #recycle #behindthescenes

♬ I’M FEELING LUCKY – Ellen Once Again

Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, Hong Mei, the founder and CEO of The Olive Tree has told us that they will be having a festival centred around sustainability where vendors uphold sustainability and are free of plastic.

There will be many workshops where one can learn how to upcycle recycled items; the prices range from free of charge to RM80.

If you are interested, you can definitely check the OneLess Festival out from 28-29 May at Sunway Nexis where you can get local and sustainable food, handmade, personal care, and household products.

Just remember to bring your own lunch boxes, reusable cups and shopping bags to reduce the amount of waste that will be generated from the festival.

Climate change is certainly a very real thing and we need to address it urgently. Recycling is one of the ways we can help.

Also read: Google Doodle Showcases Intense Before & After Comparisons For Earth Day 2022