Malaysia tightens controls on plastic scrap imports

Malaysia has imposed restrictions on plastic scrap imports in a bid to control illegal waste dumping.

From today (1 July), all such imports must be approved by Sirim, a Malaysian government agency of the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. Only scrap originating from countries that either endorse the Basel Convention or have formal trade agreements with Malaysia will be eligible.

Countries excluded under the policy include the US, which exported about 35 000 tonnes of plastic waste to Malaysia in 2024, as well as East Timor, Fiji, Haiti, San Marino and South Sudan.

Recyclability prevails

Sirim’s new Guidelines for Importation and Inspection of Waste Plastic require imported plastic waste to be recyclable, free from landfill origin and shipped in recyclable containers. The materials must be at least 99.5% homogeneous, with non-plastic contaminants capped at 2% and no tolerance for food, oil or e-waste residues.

‘This new law aims to stop the harmful plastic waste being shipped to Malaysia under the false pretense of recycling,’ says Jim Puckett of the NGO Basel Action Network. ‘Most of it ends up being burned, dumped, or polluting waterways.’

Regular audits

Importers must obtain a Certificate of Approval from Sirim and prove they have licensed facilities capable of processing the materials responsibly. Facilities will be subject to regular audits and inspections to ensure compliance.

Parties that do not meet the new standards face shipment rejections, financial penalties and a permanent ban on future import applications. All material must be pre-inspected in the country of origin by Sirim-approved bodies.

Regional policy

With ever-strict controls, Malaysia is following Thailand and Indonesia who have also banned plastic waste imports this year. However, enforcement challenges persist as data shows illegal plastic waste continues to flow through shipments being mis-labelled.

The EU is introducing a similar export ban next year.