PUTRAJAYA: Industry players are urging the government to review a proposed moratorium on plastic waste imports, saying the recycling sector requires a steady supply of raw materials to operate.
The Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) and the Malaysian Plastics Recyclers Association (MPRA) said the industry needs about 6.9 million metric tonnes of plastic waste annually to support 178 recycling companies operating in Malaysia.
MPMA president Cheah Chee Choon said locally sourced plastic waste is cheaper and easier to obtain, while imported plastic waste is generally more expensive but of higher quality.
“For now, the industry is transitioning towards using more locally sourced plastic waste through effective waste management systems such as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy led by the Housing and Local Government Ministry,” he said.
Cheah also urged authorities to clamp down on illegal plastic waste imports and recycling activities carried out by illegal factories, as well as blacklist countries exporting plastic waste illegally.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Governance Investigation Division director Datuk Mohd Zaki Hassan stressed the need for stronger governance in managing plastic waste imports to prevent contaminated or mixed waste from entering the country.
He said a long-term plan is needed to reduce the industry’s reliance on imported plastic waste while boosting the recycling of domestic plastic waste.
