
Malaysia bans US plastic trash as NGOs demand stricter enforcement
An amended law went into force in the Southeast Asian nation last week, effectively banning imports of plastic waste unless approval is given by the country's standards watchdog.
One key change is that approval will only be given for waste imported from countries that have ratified the Basel Convention, set up in 1989 to reduce the cross-border movement of hazardous waste, particularly between developed and non-developed nations.
That effectively bars imports from the United States, the fifth biggest supplier of plastic waste to Malaysia.
Malaysia is one of the world's biggest importers of plastic waste, accounting for over 433,000 metric tonnes worth US$167 million in 2024, the Department of Statistics Malaysia said – enough to fill around 173 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The plastic is recycled into pellets which are then exported – mainly to China – for use in production of various items including carpets.
Southeast Asia has been flooded with plastic waste from more developed economies such as the United States and Britain since 2018, especially since China – which previously boasted a massive recycling industry – ordered a halt to most imports.
Many Chinese recycling businesses moved to Malaysia after the ban took effect, leading to huge quantities of plastic being shipped in without permits.
"We welcome the stricter control... (but) we are concerned as there are some key enforcement gaps that have to be addressed," Friends of the Earth Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman told AFP Monday.
Gaps included illegal imports, with smugglers concealing consignments to bypass regulations Meenakshi said, exacerbated by "bribery and collusion among enforcement officers" allowing illicit shipments to slip through customs.
The tightened law effectively bans the United States from any further shipments as Washington has not ratified the UN treaty.
The US accounted for over 35,000 tonnes of plastic waste to Malaysia last year, according to data from the Basel Action Network, behind signatories Japan, Spain, Germany and Britain.
Environmental watchdogs said Malaysian plastic recyclers preferred overseas imports because domestic waste did not meet demand.
"Plastic recyclers also mention that domestic waste is 'dirtier', hence they source imported plastic waste that is cleaner," Meenakshi said.
Both Friends of the Earth's Meenakshi and Greenpeace Malaysia Zero Waste Campaigner Weng Dun Xin called on the US and other developed nations to stop using poorer nations to dump their trash.
"Recycling alone cannot fix our global plastic pollution problem fast enough," said Weng.
"Developed countries should stop putting their responsibility onto other countries for their own plastics problem."
After passing the law, Malaysian authorities said they would "not hesitate to act firmly against any individual or company that attempts to circumvent waste import controls or engage in illicit waste import activities." --AFP
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Budapest book exhibition highlights China's modernization path
BUDAPEST, July 7 (Xinhua) -- A book exhibition titled "Chinese Modernization in Books" opened here Monday at the China Book Corner, offering Hungarian readers access to works that trace China's modernization path. The event, organized by the Hungarian Workers' Party with support from the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, aims to promote greater understanding of socialism with Chinese characteristics among Hungarian audiences. Modernization in China is people-centered and about improving lives, Gyula Thurmer, president of the Hungarian Workers' Party, said, adding, "We would like to help the Hungarian people learn about socialism with Chinese characteristics from original sources." Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao said that Chinese modernization brings peaceful development and harmonious coexistence between man and nature, benefiting the Chinese people and promoting the common development of the world. Hailing China's modernization path, Vince Lisztes, a young member of the Hungarian Workers' Party, called on fellow members to read at least one Chinese book each year. Launched in 2024, the China Book Corner now offers about 400 books in Chinese, Hungarian, and other languages.


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Chinese tourism to Sarajevo surges amid strengthening bilateral ties
SARAJEVO, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Sarajevo received over 11,600 Chinese tourist visits in May, marking a 28.7 percent increase year-on-year, according to data released Monday by the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) national statistics agency. During the same period, the number of overnight stays by Chinese tourists in the capital exceeded 13,200, up 19 percent from May 2024. The growth comes as China and BiH celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025. This year also marks the eighth anniversary of a mutual visa exemption policy between the two countries. The agreement, effective since May 29, 2018, allows ordinary passport holders to stay up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa. Chinese tourists ranked among the top five contributors to foreign overnight stays in April, alongside visitors from Serbia, Türkiye, and Croatia.


New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Anwar wraps up three-nation visit to boost trade and ties
RIO DE JANEIRO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim departed for home today after a series of official visits to three countries – Italy, France, and Brazil. The chartered flight from Malaysia Airlines carrying the premier and the Malaysian delegation departed the Galeao Air Force Base (BAGL) at 1pm local time (midnight Monday Malaysian time). This series of visits by the Prime Minister, starting with a three-day official visit to Italy, forms part of Malaysia's ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and promote economic cooperation at the global level. The visits to these major economic hubs – Rome, Paris, and Rio de Janeiro – were to strengthen Malaysia's diplomatic ties and trade relations with the respective nations. These three markets collectively recorded bilateral trade valued at RM50.91 billion (US$11.14 billion) last year. The Prime Minister was accompanied by a business delegation comprising representatives from major Malaysian corporations and innovative enterprises, including Petronas, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), Maybank, FGV, YTL Power, and Sunway. Anwar's inaugural visit to Italy was undertaken at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The visits were to further strengthen bilateral relations between the countries across a wide range of sectors. In Rome, the Prime Minister was accompanied by five Cabinet ministers, namely Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir was also part of the delegation. In Paris, the Prime Minister met with President Emmanuel Macron, with discussions focusing on trade, technology, and education, as well as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In addition to a roundtable with France's industrial giants, the Prime Minister also engaged with local Muslim leaders, met Malaysian citizens in France, and delivered a public lecture at Sorbonne University on July 4. After the Paris stopover, Anwar headed to Rio de Janeiro to attend the 17th BRICS Summit upon invitation from President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Malaysia's role as a BRICS Partner Country and Asean Chair for 2025 was to emphasise the importance of multilateralism based on law, governance of artificial intelligence, climate action, and global health, representing the aspirations of over 650 million Asean citizens. Anwar attended the BRICS Summit as a partner country to the bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. - BERNAMA