PLASTIC pollution continues to plague Malaysia like a difficult-to-quit but easy-to-access opioid.
It is still a convenient utility without compare, which leads to microplastics in the ecosystem – including in our food – and illegal dumping that clogs urban drainage and sparks flash floods. But an outright ban on plastics might not be a viable long-term solution either.
In a letter this week, the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Minister says Malaysia still has much to do to reduce plastic pollution, and new legislation is needed to fight it.
The ministry is putting together a national policy on plastics production, use, and waste management to be in line with the 2022 Global Plastics Treaty whose next Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting will be held in Canada later this month.
The government is in the midst of talking to relevant industries and NGOs on what new policies and legislation would look like to combat plastic pollution – and it is not as simple as reducing plastics production and banning plastics.
Both environmental advocates and manufacturers say a much larger part of the solution lies in getting much more serious about recycling and enforcement, which is made more difficult without a standardised solid waste management system throughout the country.
Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (Cetdem) founder Gurmit Singh says the real test is whether the government has the “guts” to carry out proper enforcement of any new legislation on plastic use and misuse.
He points out that enforcement has always been the toughest challenge for any Malaysian government, and it will be “no different” in battling plastic pollution within a “fragmented” industry.
NRES Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad describes the existing laws as “fragmented”, with their implementation depending on local authorities.
Aiming for a circular economy
Right now, there is no standardised legislation on solid waste management. Only seven states have adopted the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672).
“This causes irregularities in the management of waste across the country and complicates the enforcement of certain measures,” says the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) to Sunday Star in an email.
Both the industry and activists want the government to strengthen waste management systems and increase public education to greatly improve recycling, reuse, and tackling end-of-life plastics, but the MPMA also says there must be a nuanced approach to reducing plastics production as plastics play a critical role in the net-zero carbon emissions goal.
The MPMA says plastics play a critical role in carbon reduction solutions as it is widely used in most industries that drive innovation towards net-zero carbon, such as in lighter vehicles, building and equipment insulation, preventing food waste, and more.
“From a carbon footprint perspective, plastics fare much better compared with alternative materials,” says MPMA spokesperson CC Cheah.
Instead, he says, reduction of waste generation should be the priority in addressing plastics pollution – not only plastic waste, but all types of waste.
“Our lifestyle and ‘tapau’ culture has led to high usage of single-use plastics (SUP) and the almost zero collection of post-usage SUP from consumers has led to a high volume of SUP ending up in our landfills and the environment.
“The key in establishing a circular economy is an effective plastics recycling ecosystem, which requires government support,” he says.
A circular economy aims to lower waste and regenerate nature by keeping products and materials in circulation as long as possible through maintenance, reuse, and recycling.
“The recently launched National Circular Economy Council under the leadership of the Housing and Local Government Ministry is one example of government intervention which the industry welcomes and supports as ways to guide the industry and nation through the transition towards an effective circular economy.
“The MPMA is currently playing an active role in the council,” Cheah adds.
Malaysians are quite ‘green’
Greenpeace, in its “Greenpeace International Annual Report” released on April 4 shows that eight out of 10 Malaysians support cutting plastics production.
“In comparison with the poll across 19 countries made up of 19,088 individuals, Malaysians demonstrate notably stronger support for the objectives outlined in the survey,” the report notes.
Another key finding showed that 95% of Malaysian respondents endorse moving away from SUP packaging to reusable and refillable alternatives, compared with 90% of global respondents.
Hema Mahadevan of Green-peace Malaysia says the environmental NGO will write to ministers here urging that they go further by taking the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting as an opportunity to complement nationwide efforts at curbing the issue at its source, namely through the reduction of plastics production, instead of relying on “stopgap” measures such as penalties on plastic usage or turning to false solutions like biodegradable plastics.
Plastic products range from everyday household items and packaging material to high-end products for industrial and medical use.
Malaysia’s plastic products industry also supplies plastic parts and components, plastic packaging materials, as well as various high-performance plastics for many manufacturing industries.
Malaysia’s plastic products industry demonstrated sustained growth throughout 2022, and the growth aligns with the global outlook for the industry, which is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 3.7% from 2022 to 2030.
Locally, the industry recorded exports worth RM17.33bil in 2023, which accounts for 30% of the industry’s total turnover, reports the MPMA.
“This 30% of products is directly exported out of the country as finished products while 70% remain in the country for local consumption,” says Cheah.
“However, 40% out of the local amount is also indirectly exported out of the country as products from other sectors, such as electricals and electronics, medical equipment, food packaging, and more.
“Therefore, the total of direct and indirect exports is actually up to 70%, with a value much larger than RM17.33bil.”
He says it is important to note that an outright ban on all plastics will lead to unintended consequences because plastics are used in critical goods such as packaged food and water, toiletries, medical care, and other essential supplies.
“Plastics is still widely used as the packaging of choice by most vendors,” he says.
But with advances in materials, technologies, and product design, most SUP in the market are recyclable if the collection and recovery ecosystem is established, he says.
For example, a number of packaging types in the market, especially for food, has shifted from being a multimaterial structure, which is nonrecyclable, to a monomaterial structure, which is fully recyclable/recycle ready, he says, adding that “this is a testament to the industry’s efforts at producing better and more sustainable plastics”.
Still not doing enough
Long-established activist groups such as EcoMy (Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia) and EcoKnights, however, feel that strict action must be taken for long-term sustainability and environmental wellbeing, and urge the industry to adapt.
“In the first phase, the NRES Ministry should increase incentives for other products to come into the marketplace.
“The 20 sen plastic campaign is not going anywhere,” says EcoMy president Andrew Sebastian, referring to the charge for plastic bags currently imposed by supermarkets, hypermarkets, and major retailers.
“There is a need to heighten in terms of the total ban, and start from there,” Sebastian says.
Says EcoKnights acting president Amlir Ayat, “A legal priority at this stage would be the phasing out of the main culprits, ie SUP, products for example, plastic bags, and polystyrene food and drink containers”.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
