A lid on plastic waste imports

The Star

10 hours ago

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has tightened imports of plastic waste, a move hailed by campaigners as a major step in protecting human health and the environment.
Under the updated Customs (Prohibition of Imports) (Amend­ment) Order 2025, which took effect on July 1, all imports of plastic waste involving waste, parings and scraps, must adhere to stricter rules and receive approval from government-­owned certification body Sirim Bhd.
Sirim's guidelines state that only countries that are parties to the Basel Convention – an international treaty governing the transboundary movement of hazardous and other wastes – or countries with specific agreements with Malaysia will be allowed to export plastic waste into the country.
'These stricter regulations are very much welcomed.
'It is important to acknowledge the Malaysian government's leadership in making this difficult decision (despite the protests of the industry) to prioritise human and environmental health,' said Wong Pui Yi, a researcher at waste trade watchdog Basel Action Network.
Malaysia is a major destination for plastic waste from developed countries amid growing concern over the health and environment consequences of improperly regulated waste recycling.
According to figures from the International Trade Centre ­­­­­– a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations – Malaysia was the sixth biggest importer of plastic waste last year, with 431,500 tonnes of imports.
One of the countries affected by Malaysia's stricter controls is the United States, which has not ratified the Basel Convention.
According to Wong, 191 countries have ratified or acceded to the Basel Convention, adding that the United States is the only major country that has not ratified it.
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The Los Angeles Times reported that Malaysia's move could have significant consequences for California, which shipped 864 shipping containers of plastic waste to Malaysia in 2024.
Malaysia, the report said, emerged as a major destination for US plastic waste after China banned American waste imports in 2018.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) said it welcomed the stricter controls imposed by Malaysia.
'We greatly appreciate that the Malaysian government has taken steps against the environmental injustices associated with global waste trade.
'We hope that with stricter enforcement, it will help end the harm to public health and the environment caused by waste trade and toxic recycling,' said SAM president Meenakshi Raman.
Meanwhile, Wong said rich, developed, industrialised countries including Japan, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada export thousands of tonnes of plastic waste every year.
This practice of exporting waste has allowed rich countries to continue high levels of plastic consumption without addressing the issue that many types of plastics are either not economically viable or too technically challenging to be recycled.
'The rich countries need to find better ways to deal with their own plastic waste, including, importantly, to prevent and minimise plastic waste by capping plastic production, improving product design and creating systems that move away from single-use disposables,' said Wong.
She said that in the Asia-Pacific region, Malaysia follows Thailand and Indonesia, which have also banned plastic waste imports.
'We hope Malaysia will bring this ambition to the negotiations towards a global agreement to end plastic pollution, taking place in August,' Wong said.