At the distribution at the Padungan AmBank car park on the morning of Oct 20, Kuching South mayor Wee Hong Seng asked recipients to look after the bins and keep them clean. Each costs several hundred ringgit, he said, making regular care important both for hygiene and for extending its useful life.

Food and beverage businesses were singled out: poorly maintained bins can create unpleasant odours and affect how customers view a premises. The useful change for recipients is the new bin itself; keeping the storage area and container hygienic remains part of day-to-day premises management, rather than something resolved simply when rubbish is collected.