UTM launches First Medical Waste Collection Initiative to support Iskandar Puteri’s Low Carbon Agenda

Ts. Dr. Azlin Abd Jamil

📝 Summary

The Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has launched a medical waste collection initiative in Iskandar Puteri, funded by the Iskandar Puteri Low Carbon Community Grant, to support the city’s low-carbon agenda. The project aims to promote responsible medicine disposal, reduce pharmaceutical pollution, and minimize healthcare waste entering landfills. The initiative will also educate the community on safe medicine disposal practices and encourage behavioral change.

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Jul 28 – The SMART GREEN PHARMACY COMMUNITY HUB: A Low-Carbon Community Pharmacy Model through Safe Medicine Disposal and Healthcare Plastic Recycling project officially commenced its first medical waste collection activity on 28 July 2026 at Sunway Property (Southern Region) Management Office, Wisma Sunway Big Box, marking the project’s first medical waste contribution from its pioneering strategic collaborator. The initiative is funded under the Iskandar Puteri Low Carbon Community Grant (IPRK) 6.0 awarded by the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) with a grant of RM25,000, and is implemented from 1 July 2026 until 31 January 2027.

The project is led by Ts. Dr. Azlin Abd Jamil from the Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), in collaboration with Farmasi Al-Qanaah and Johor Empowerment of Intellectual Women Association (JEIWA).

The multidisciplinary project team comprises Nurul Ashikin Noor Rahim, Khidir Alif Parizan, Dr. Nurul Syazana Samsuden, Dr. Logaiswari Indiran, Dr. Nor Emmy Shuhada Derani, Dr. Umar Haiyat Abdul Kohar, Dr. Noraindah Abdullah Fahim, Nur Fadilah Nizar, and Rozila Hashim, who collectively contribute expertise in community engagement, healthcare, sustainability, and project implementation.

Unused and expired medicines collected during the inaugural corporate collection programme will undergo proper segregation and environmentally responsible disposal, preventing pharmaceutical contamination and supporting low-carbon healthcare waste management practices

The launch was made possible through the strong support of Sunway City Iskandar Puteri’s (SCIP’s) Sustainability Team, led by Zarith Fahteha Mohd Khalis, Raudhah Hussin, and Norsuhaizi Mahdan. As the project’s first strategic collaborator, SCIP initiated the first corporate collection of unused and expired medicines from its office, demonstrating organisational leadership in responsible pharmaceutical waste management.

Recognised for its commitment to sustainable development, SCIP continues to champion environmental stewardship through responsible waste management, pollution prevention, and community engagement, while fostering environmental awareness and community well-being. This inaugural activity marks the beginning of a series of community awareness and medicine collection programmes planned under the IPRK 6.0 project to cultivate responsible medicine disposal practices across Iskandar Puteri.

Beyond collecting medical waste, this initiative serves as a strategic platform to increase public awareness and encourage behavioural change towards the safe disposal of unused and expired medicines. Many households continue to dispose of medicines through household rubbish bins or sinks, practices that may contribute to pharmaceutical contamination of waterways, environmental pollution, and potential public health risks. Through education, community engagement, and the introduction of the Smart Medicine Disposal DropBox, the project provides an accessible and sustainable solution that empowers the community to dispose of medicines safely and responsibly.

The project also encourages the responsible recycling of healthcare-related plastics and supports responsible waste management practices as part of a broader circular economy approach. By integrating environmental education with practical community action, the initiative aims to cultivate a culture of environmental responsibility and strengthen partnerships among academia, industry, local government, healthcare providers, and community organisations.

Project members from UTM, together with representatives from SCIP, commemorate the successful launch of the first corporate medicine collection initiative under the Smart Green Pharmacy Community Hub project at Wisma Sunway Big Box, Iskandar Puteri

As outlined in the approved project implementation plan, the initiative targets the installation of a Smart Medicine Disposal DropBox, the organisation of multiple community education programmes, the engagement of more than 1,100 participants, the collection and safe disposal of at least 100 kg of unused medicines, a comprehensive impact assessment involving 350 respondents and the development of a sustainable and replicable community pharmacy model for low-carbon healthcare waste management.

The project will also generate valuable data to measure improvements in community awareness, behavioural change and environmental outcomes.

Ts. Dr. Azlin Abd Jamil (right), Project Leader of the Smart Green Pharmacy Community Hub, receives the first collection of unused and expired medicines from SCIP’s Sustainability Team, represented by Zarith Fahteha Mohd Khalis (left), marking the official commencement of the project’s inaugural corporate medical waste collection activity under the IPRK 6.0 Grant

This collaborative initiative demonstrates the power of partnerships among UTM, Farmasi Al-Qanaah, JEIWA, SCIP and MBIP to create lasting environmental and social impact. By promoting responsible medicine disposal, reducing pharmaceutical pollution, minimising healthcare waste entering landfills and supporting the Iskandar Puteri Low Carbon City Agenda, the project represents an important milestone towards building healthier communities, protecting natural ecosystems and advancing a more sustainable future for Iskandar Puteri.