Malaysia urged to fast-track e-waste law as risks mount

The Star

08-05-2025

PETALING JAYA: Efforts must be stepped up to improve the management of electronic waste (e-waste) which is growing in volume and posing serious environmental and health risks, according to stakeholders.
Environment and waste management specialist Dr Theng Lee Chong said the country is lagging behind its neighbours in establishing a proper regulatory framework to deal with waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
'Rapid digital growth is not just happening in Malaysia – it's a global phenomenon.
'But here, we're still lacking a crucial piece of regulation to control the WEEE being generated,' he told The Star.
Theng pointed out that while the Department of Environment (DoE) has been working on a regulation regarding e-waste management for over a decade, progress has been slow.
According to a statement by the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister last year, the regulation was supposed to be enacted this year.
"We need this regulation in place to supplement the existing scheduled waste regulation to ensure that the entire ecosystem is managed in an environmentally sound manner,' Theng said.
Without a solid legal framework, he warned that e-waste would continue to flow into the informal sector, which is often linked to illegal importation and unsafe processing.
Theng also said the upcoming regulation is likely to introduce the concept of extended producer responsibility, which would make producers, manufacturers and importers accountable for the disposal of products at the end of their life cycle.
'This responsibility should not just stop at waste management. It should also influence how products are designed—moving towards the circular economy approach,' Theng said.
He emphasised that Malaysia needs to implement a long-­overdue product design and packaging law, as manufacturers currently have free rein over the materials and packaging used.
'This creates major problems for downstream waste management. We need product designs that are easier to dismantle and recycle, and materials that are less hazardous and easier to recover,' he said.
Beyond regulatory frameworks, Theng said Malaysia also needs to shift public behaviour around waste management. While awareness campaigns are common, he argued they may no longer be enough.
'Many Malaysians already know that littering is bad or that illegal dumping is against the law, but they still do it. It's not just about awareness anymore – it's about changing attitudes. We need a behavioural shift towards the mindset of a developed nation,' he said.
He cautioned against popular narratives that promote e-waste as a source of wealth, describing them as misleading.
'The idea that recyclers can easily recover precious materials like gold or platinum from e-waste downplays the real costs involved. Treating hazardous materials, dealing with non-recyclable components and disposing of waste residue all require significant investment,' he said.
Instead, he said Malaysians must begin to see waste disposal as a shared responsibility.
'In Japan, consumers must pay to discard their e-waste at designated centres, and the process is tracked to ensure proper recycling. That's the kind of system we need to be aiming for,' he added.
In Malaysia, e-waste comes mainly from two sources: industrial processes and post-­consumer products. Industrial e-waste is regulated under the Environ­mental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005, while post-consumer e-waste – known as WEEE, including items like TVs and fridges – remains largely unregulated. This allows for informal disposal methods. Other specialised categories, such as medical and lab equipment, also require proper handling despite falling outside these main streams.
A licensed e-waste recovery facility has recorded a steady rise in household e-waste collection, reflecting growing public participation in proper disposal practices.
Datuk Jason Yee, co-founder and executive director of licensed e-waste recovery facility Meriahtek (M) Sdn Bhd, said the company's drop-off centre concept, introduced at a Melaka shopping mall in 2014, has been well received.
'We started this as an environmental initiative, hoping to get the public interested. The response was very encouraging. People would bring their e-waste while out shopping. Lately, we've seen the drop-off rate increase even more,' he said.
Meriahtek's e-waste collection programme is part of its corporate social responsibility efforts. The company's E-Waste Drive Thru Centre in Melaka was the largest contributor, accounting for 8,738kg last year – up 9.5% from the previous year. As of April 25, 2025, the centre had already collected 3,403kg, a 27.3% jump compared to the same ­period in 2024.
However, Yee stressed that sustainable e-waste management requires systemic support, particularly for items such as refri­gerators and washing machines, which have what he described as 'negative value'.
He urged the government to introduce an EPR system that requires manufacturers to allocate a recycling fee at the point of sale, helping to fund the proper disposal of end-of-life products.
'Recyclers tend to avoid items without precious metals. You can't expect the public to recycle properly if the system doesn't support the full supply chain. Every stakeholder – from producer to processor – must be able to operate sustainably,' he added.