Eyesore: Rubbish, discarded materials and a broken motorcycles are seen dumped near the Taman Seri Sentosa flats, near Jalan Klang Lama. — ART CHEN/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The shutdown of more than 3,600 illegal dumpsites nationwide suggests improved monitoring by the authorities but groups warn that it does not address the systemic causes of the problem.
The environmental groups warn the scale of the problem remains deeply entrenched as stricter anti-littering laws loom next year.
Greenpeace Malaysia Zero Waste campaigner Weng Dun Xin said shutting down illegal dumpsites shows some improvement in regulating waste management, but it also highlights how widespread the problem still is.
“Much of the cleared waste is likely redirected to landfills or incinerators, which means we are not solving the bigger picture of how waste is generated and managed,” she said.
She added that in areas where proper waste collection and segregation are lacking, illegal dumping continues to occur, often beyond the radar of enforcement authorities.
On whether the new law alone will deter offenders, Weng said fines by themselves would not be enough.
“Fines alone are insufficient. Stronger and more consistent enforcement is essential, alongside comprehensive waste management infrastructure to address the root causes of illegal dumping,” she said.
She stressed that preventive measures such as community awareness, proper collection systems and waste segregation must accompany enforcement, warning that punishment without systemic change would only provide short-term relief.
Weng urged authorities to focus on upstream solutions, including reducing waste generation and tackling the overuse of single-use plastics.
“Awareness campaigns, mindful consumption and cutting down unnecessary plastics would significantly reduce the amount of waste generated,” she said, adding that recycling alone cannot address plastic pollution quickly enough.sspjk
“Communities should not bear the brunt, they are increasingly exposed to toxic chemicals and microplastics that could potentially cause long-term health impacts,” she added.
Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Rajesh Nagarajan echoed these concerns, saying the scale of illegal dumping reflects years of regulatory failure rather than sudden non-compliance.
“The sheer number of illegal dumpsites suggests enforcement has been largely reactive and complaint-driven, rather than preventive or systematic,” he said, noting that illegal dumping has long been an offence under the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974.
Rajesh pointed out that existing laws already provide for heavy penalties, including fines, imprisonment and forfeiture of vehicles and equipment, yet prosecutions remain low compared to the scale of the problem.
“The new littering and anti-dumping penalties coming into force on Jan 1 are legally significant, but they are insufficient on their own,” he said.
“Without consistent inspections, proper evidence gathering and firm prosecutorial follow-through, fines risk being absorbed as a cost of doing business, especially by commercial operators.”
Both groups stressed that enforcement must extend beyond individual litterbugs to include all parties involved in the waste chain, including waste generators, contractors and landowners who facilitate or benefit from illegal dumping.
Rajesh said local authorities, who have responsibilities under the Local Government Act 1976 and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672), must take a more proactive role in monitoring known dumping hotspots.
“Environmental protection cannot be treated as a secondary municipal issue.
“It is a matter of public health, quality of life and the rule of law,” he said.
