Recycling in Malaysia
Data from the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) collected from January to November throughout 2018 puts the national recycling rate at 0.06%, or about 1,800 tonnes of the 3 million tonnes of waste collected in the period. Majority of the waste were sent to landfills.[1]
In 2015, household, industrial, commercial and institutional waste generation in the country was at 38,563 tonne per day of which 88.8% went to landfills.[2] In 2005, Malaysia produced about 7.34 million tonnes of solid wastes, of which 30% are possibly recyclable but only 3-5% were actually processed.[3] Given the insufficiency in recyclables within the country and the potential lucrative profits, Malaysian companies have been importing rubbish from foreign countries,[3] more so since the total plastic waste ban of China in 2018.
Household recycling rate in Malaysia is estimated to be at 9.7% in a nationwide survey in 2011.[4] The same report indicated that Kuantan had the highest household recycling rate (18.4%) while Sabah rest at the lowest with 4.5%. Kuala Lumpur, the nation's capital with an estimated population of 1.66 million people in 2009, produced household waste of around 0.8 to 1.3 kg per day, that amount together with the industrial waste of the city led to the generation of an average 3,500 tonnes of waste per day.[5] In 2012, its household recycling rate was at 10.4%.
In the Eleventh Malaysia Plan 2016- 2020, the stated solid waste management goals was to achieve a rate of 40% waste diversion from landfill and 22% recycling rate by 2020.[2]
Legislation and regulations
Legislation and regulation | Year | Agency |
---|---|---|
Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974,
Environmental Quality Act 1974 Local Government Act 1976 |
1970s | Local authorities |
Action Plan for a Beautiful and Clean Malaysia (ABC Plan) | 1988 | Local authorities |
Vision 2020 | 1991 | Local authorities |
First National Recycling Day | 1993 | Local authorities |
Second National Recycling Day | 2000 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
National Strategic Plan (NSP) | 2005 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
Waste Minimization Master Plan (WM-MP) | 2006 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Corporation Act 2007 (Act 672) | 2007 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Corporation Act 2007 (Act 672) | 2007 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Corporation Act 2007 (Act 673) | 2011 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
SWCorp Strategic Plan | 2014 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
Comprehensive
Action Plan of Solid Waste Management 2015-2020 |
2015 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
Separation at Source Initiative (SSI) | 2016 | Federalisation and Privatisation |
2018 Malaysian plastic recycling crisis
In January 2018, China launched the
The Malaysian branch of Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation which originated from Taiwan has made recycling one of its main charitable activities since its establishment in 1996. To date, Tzu Chi volunteers run and manage over 160 recycling centers and over 900 pick up points across Malaysia.[11] The success of Tzu Chi's Malaysian efforts has led to Christian parishes being encouraged to hold their own recycling programmes.[12]
The Zero Waste movement officially arrived in Malaysia in the environs of 2016 when Zero Waste Malaysia (“ZWM”) was registered as a non-profit organisation (PPM-044-10-29032018) under The Registry of Societies of Malaysia. The organisation does not collect recyclable waste but is focused on the promotion of sustainable living in Malaysia through educational resources, corporate engagement and on-ground projects/initiatives. The organisation may be contacted via their official website where a map for locating recycling centers in Malaysia is available.[13][14] Private run stores that follow the Zero Waste principles where customers can refill household cleaners and cosmetics or buy reusable and recycle friendly products have also emerged in Klang Valley.[15]
See also
References
- ^ "Less than 1% of waste out of 3 million tonnes get recycled - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. 2019-01-24. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- ^ a b Binti Abu Bakar, Khalilulnisha (2015). Solid Waste Management Lab 2015 Final Lab Report (PDF). Malaysia: National Solid Waste Department, Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government. p. 14.
- ^ a b "Waste reduction is the way to go - Letters | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. 2006-02-12. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- ^ Survey on Solid Waste Composition, Characteristics & Existing Practice of Solid Waste Recycling in Malaysia (PDF). Malaysia: National Solid Waste Management Department. 2013. p. 57.
- ^ Phon, Low Lay (2009-11-23). "Using worms to reduce organic waste - Community | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- .
- ^ The Recycling Myth: Malaysia and the Broken Global Recycling System. Malaysia: Greenpeace Malaysia. 2018. p. 14.
- ^ "Govt to ban import of all non-recyclable waste - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- ^ Chung, Clarissa; Rahim, Rahimy; Bedi, Rashvinjeet S. (2019-04-24). "When trash is cash - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- ^ "WWF Releases Report Proposing Effective Solution to Mitigate Plastic Pollution in Malaysia". www.wwf.org.my. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ Yusry, Muhammad. "Tzu Chi launches recycling station at Bukit Jalil resort". www.thesundaily.my. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
- ^ "Kick-starting recycling programme in parishes". Herald Malaysia Online. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
- ^ "Local environmental group's zero-waste quest goes global". Malaysiakini. 2022-06-13. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ Ravimalar, Ravinyaa (2022-05-19). "Highlight: A zero waste resource for Malaysians". The Edge Markets. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ Jayne, Tamara (26 Jun 2020). "6 Types Of Groceries And Essentials You Can Find In Klang Valley Zero Waste Stores". Says.