Petron Malaysia And Klean Join Forces For Sustainable Plastic Recycling Initiative
Petron Malaysia is taking a significant stride towards promoting sustainable practices with the installation of an AI-based reverse vending machine (RVM) at its Lebuh Bandar Utama service station. Teaming up with Klean Malaysia, the company aims to encourage recycling through a digital container deposit system. Customers can now conveniently deposit used plastic food containers, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, and aluminum cans at the RVM while earning points through the Klean Recycling App for voucher redemption.
This strategic partnership not only emphasises Petron Malaysia’s commitment to environmental sustainability but also marks an effort to foster a shift in recycling behaviour, a crucial step towards achieving a circular economy. This aligns with the Petron’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 11 and 12 and the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 for plastic circularity. 
“Plastics remainsas a high usage in homes and businesses today despite its toxicity and contributions to pollution. As it is a cheap and convenient alternative; it is often used at the expense of the environment. For instance, we use it for packaging to protect food from damage in transit and preserve it before it reaches supermarket shelves. So, the key strategy here is to increase public awareness of responsible plastic consumption and ensure waste plastics are recovered and diverted from landfills. At Petron, we are aware of the rising of plastic waste as Malaysia is reportedly one of the top 10 countries in the world with the highest plastic waste. Our collaboration today with Klean Malaysia is a game-changer in recycling. We are hopeful that the Klean RVM installed at our service stations will play a part in increasing public understanding and shaping community perceptions of how to dispose of plastic responsibly,” Shaliza Mohd Sidek, Head of Retail Business at Petron Malaysia shared.
Efforts to recycle plastics isn’t new to Petron Malaysia. Last year, its service station dealers in the southern region initiated a 3-month “Rehydrate and Recycle” campaign to educate its customers on responsible plastic use. The dealers managed to collect 255 kilograms of plastic bottle caps and repurposed them into 16 benches which were donated to the Johor state government for tourism purpose.
“We take pride in being the first Petron station to deploy the RVM after undergoing meticulous site feasibility and scoping. This decision was based on our geographical criteria, considering the higher density of the neighbourhood. This state-of-the-art machine streamlines the process of depositing empty plastic bottles and cans and helps educate our local communities to spur their plastic recycling actions,” said Nadia Othman, the service station manager of Petron Lebuh Bandar Utama.
The AI-driven RVM utilises machine learning to identify the types of containers deposited, while real-time data collection such as the number of recyclers, and quantities of plastic and aluminium deposited, enables the tracking of recycling metrics and environmental impact.
“We are excited to collaborate with like-minded partners like Petron Malaysia to protect the environment for a sustainable future. We are the first RVM ecosystem attached with a rewarding scheme. Today, Klean has installed over 60 RVM machines in Malaysia, strategically placed in highly populated areas such as schools, airports, transport hubs and shopping malls. We aspire to broaden our network of machines and extend our machine coverage to more Petron service station locations, reaching out to more communities. We are here to push for behavioural change towards recycling through education and incentivisation, with the ultimate aim of achieving zero-waste to landfill,” said Syed Zain Almohdzar, the Co-founder or Chief Operating Officer of Klean Malaysia. Klean is the sole company to secure a 100% tax-deductible status from the Ministry of Finance in the RVM ecosystem industry in Malaysia.
In the next few months, Petron plans to expand RVM installations to more service station locations. Already in the pipeline are 100 locations in the Klang Valley. 
