By Dr Margarita Peredaryenko and Avyce Heng

Malaysia’s mounting waste crisis demands urgent action. From rising e-waste volumes to plastic pollution choking rivers and oceans, both challenges intersect, threatening public health and environmental stability.

Over 50 million tonnes of e-waste are generated globally each year, increasing by 3-5% annually. This surge, driven by rapid urbanisation, is particularly acute in Malaysia, where average e-waste generation stands at 8.8kg per capita, exceeding the global average of 7kg.

Beyond domestic production, illegal e-waste trafficking into Malaysia remains a serious concern. Between March and June this year, authorities seized 106 containers of e-waste and scrap metals – mostly from North America. These operations often rely on fraud, bribery, and false declarations to bypass permit requirements. With its high metal value, e-waste is a lucrative target for illicit businesses that extract metals and export profits through hazardous practices such as open burning and acid baths. To date, over 200 illegal e-waste recycling facilities have been uncovered nationwide.

Although Malaysia recorded a 21.1% e-waste recovery rate in 2023, much of the waste still ended up in landfills, which are nearing capacity, or was incinerated after being mixed with municipal waste.

Incineration and acid treatment of e-waste release toxic substances, including mercury, lead and cadmium. Inhaling these pollutants poses serious health risks, including respiratory and neurological illness and cancer. Labourers are especially vulnerable due to poor protection and regulatory oversight. Toxic run-off can seep into groundwater, contaminating drinking supplies. Accumulated toxins also harm wildlife and food chains, deepening Malaysia’s environmental and food security challenges.

Malaysia classifies e-waste as either industrial or household. Industrial e-waste is regulated via the Electronic Scheduled Waste Information System (eSWIS), which requires industries to document their generation, collection, storage, disposal, and recovery at licensed facilities. In contrast, household e-waste recycling is voluntary, with participation below 25%. To address this, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) has proposed the Environmental Quality (Household Scheduled Waste) Regulation. However, the guideline, initially slated for enforcement this year, remains pending.

Plastic waste and pollution in Malaysia

Since China banned most plastic imports in 2018, Southeast Asia has become a key destination for plastic waste exports. Malaysia is the EU’s second-largest plastic waste importer and also receives shipments from Japan and the United States. Notably, plastic waste exports from the EU increased from under 20,000 tonnes to 35,000 tonnes between January and June 2024. An estimated 15 to 30% are illegal. Much of the imported plastic is contaminated and non-recyclable, leading to disposal via landfills or incineration.

Malaysia emits between 0.14 and 0.37 million tonnes of plastic into the ocean each year, placing it among the world’s top ten marine plastic polluters. Alarmingly, the average Malaysian consumes 502.3 mg of microplastics daily, mainly through fish, one of the highest levels globally.

To curb plastic waste imports, only members of the Basel Action Network (BAN) may import plastic scraps starting July 1, 2025. Imports will also face tighter controls under the newly enforced Guidelines for Importation and Inspection of Waste Plastics. For instance, plastics must not be mixed; each polymer must maintain 99.5% purity; and scraps may contain no more than 2% non-plastic contaminants, with zero tolerance for food, oil, or e-waste. Despite these rules, experts warn that such standards are difficult to meet, raising concerns about increased illegal smuggling.

Malaysia is also a major plastic producer, with the industry recording a turnover of US$13.1 billion in 2023. The Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) argues that production cuts will not address the root causes of plastic pollution. However, advocacy groups contend that downstream solutions remain insufficient as long as domestic plastic production continues to grow and is exported (C4 Centre, 2024; Greenpeace, n.d.).

How e-waste and plastic pollution are connected

The intersection of e-waste and plastic pollution is often overlooked. When improperly discarded, plastic components in electronics, which contain toxic additives, contribute to the plastic waste stream. Both materials are primarily disposed of through landfilling and incineration, harming human health and the biosphere.

While targeted policies are necessary, e-waste and plastic pollution should also be addressed in parallel to strengthen Malaysia’s sustainability framework.

• Reinforce household e-waste regulations: Although Malaysia’s proposed household e-waste guidelines have not yet been enforced, a comprehensive management system is essential. The government should fast-track the gazettement of the Environmental Quality (Household Scheduled Waste) Regulation and mandate producer take-back schemes at retail outlets. A nationwide mandatory collection programme can be implemented through partnerships between NRES, JPSPN, local councils and authorised recyclers. Logistics can be supported through municipal integration of household collection points at supermarkets and public offices, with periodic pick-up drives and incentive vouchers for participating households.

• Integrate informal e-waste collectors into national waste management: Informal collectors, including NGOs, charities, and recovery facilities, should be recognised through a tiered registration and training system under the Department of Environment (DOE). Registered collectors can receive digital IDs, be trained, and be linked to formal recyclers via a digital platform. To offset transport and sorting costs, micro-grants and fuel subsidies can be channelled through NRES’s green fund initiatives.

• Enforce single-use plastics bans more strictly: Despite bans on single-use plastics in forest reserves, marine parks, and geo-heritage sites, enforcement remains patchy. The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) should establish a standardised inspection checklist and conduct regular audits with local councils. Microbusinesses can access subsidised compostable packaging via bulk procurement or cooperative models.

• Explore waste-to-energy (WTE) alternatives: As highlighted in EMIR Research’s prior study, Malaysia should accelerate adoption of cleaner WTE technologies, particularly plasma gasification (see: “Waste-to-Energy: Is there a better alternative to incineration?”). The method emits fewer pollutants, produces slag with lower leaching risk than incinerator ash, and generates more electricity per tonne of waste (Moutakas & Loizidou, 2010). Pilot projects under public-private partnerships (PPP) can be deployed in high-waste districts, with clear emission benchmarks set by SEDA and tax incentives tied to environmental performance.

• Implement extended producer responsibility (EPR): While EPR schemes exist in Singapore and India, Malaysia lacks a functioning mechanism. The government should introduce an EPR Registry under DOE that mandates annual waste return targets for producers of electronics and plastic packaging, with penalties for non-compliance. Tiered obligations based on product volume and environmental risk should be enforced, and producers should fund awareness and collection infrastructure.

• Promote consumer awareness and education: To reach Malaysia’s 40% National Recycling Rate (NRR) by 2025, public engagement must be scaled up. A national “Know Your Waste” campaign should run across schools, malls, and digital platforms, using gamified tools to boost participation. The MyWaste app should be integrated with navigation tools and loyalty programmes, rewarding users who recycle at certified drop-off points.

• Invest in research and development: The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) should provide targeted R&D grants for biodegradable plastic alternatives, electronic product redesign, and sustainable material science, prioritising partnerships between local universities and SMEs. At the same time, product labelling standards should be upgraded to require recyclability and toxicity disclosures to guide eco-design practices across industries.

Addressing the twin crises of e-waste and plastic pollution demands a shift from reactive to systemic solutions. Strengthening governance, engaging informal and formal stakeholders, and embedding sustainability into production and consumption are essential. With coordinated, practical reforms, Malaysia can close gaps in waste management and move decisively towards a circular, resilient future.

-- BERNAMA

Dr Margarita Peredaryenko and Avyce Heng are part of the research team at EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.