KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — The Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) and Malaysian Plastics Recycling Association (MPRA) would like to correct the misconceptions in a recent report which may have distorted the picture of Malaysia’s legitimate and law-abiding recycling industry.
In a joint statement today, the associations said it is uncalled for and inaccurate for the report to liken Malaysia to a “dumping ground” when referring to legitimate imports which comply with regulations and laws.
According to them, the report have also missed the bigger picture by zooming into just two years’ trade data as based on recent trade data, the United Kingdom exported less plastic scrap to Malaysia in 2020 than in 2016.
They said the Malaysian authorities had tightened imports by introducing 18 new rules and regulations including inspection at Malaysian ports to identify illegal imports of plastic waste.
“The amendment to the Basel convention has just come into effect in January 2021. This will further regulate the trans boundary movement of scraps globally. Only clean, homogeneous recyclable scraps can be imported in a controlled manner whilst non-homogenous scraps movement require prior consent from the Department of Environment,” they added.
Malaysia, they said, will face rising demand for recycled plastic resin in the future as the country’s own domestic retailers and brand owners in various sectors increase their efforts to shift to a circular economy.
“Malaysia’s recycling rate has also seen an uptrend, reaching 31 per cent by the beginning of 2020. Plastics recycling could contribute RM15 billion to RM20 billion to Malaysia’s economy.”
The associations said they support the clamp-down on illegal plastic waste imports and illegal recycling operations and will continue to support and assist the government in efforts to crack down on unscrupulous and illegal operators.
— Bernama
