Recycling in Malaysia#2018 Malaysian Plastic Recycling Crisis

File:Tesco Bukit Indah - Recycling Collection Center.jpg, Johor.]]

Data from the [https://www.swcorp.gov.my/ 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/01/24/less-than-1-of-waste-out-of-3-million-tonnes-get-recycled/|title=Less than 1% of waste out of 3 million tonnes get recycled - Nation {{!}} The Star Online|website=www.thestar.com.my|access-date=2019-05-07|date=2019-01-24}}

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.{{Cite book|url=http://www.kpkt.gov.my/resources/index/user_1/Attachments/hebahan_slider/slaid_dapatan_makmal.pdf|title=Solid Waste Management Lab 2015 Final Lab Report|last=Binti Abu Bakar|first=Khalilulnisha|publisher=National Solid Waste Department, Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government|year=2015|location=Malaysia|pages=14}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2006/02/12/waste-reduction-is-the-way-to-go/|title=Waste reduction is the way to go - Letters {{!}} The Star Online|website=www.thestar.com.my|access-date=2019-04-26|date=2006-02-12}} Given the insufficiency in recyclables within the country and the potential lucrative profits, Malaysian companies have been importing rubbish from foreign countries, 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.{{Cite book|url=http://jpspn.kpkt.gov.my/resources/index/user_1/Sumber_Rujukan/kajian/Final_Report_REVz.pdf|title=Survey on Solid Waste Composition, Characteristics & Existing Practice of Solid Waste Recycling in Malaysia|publisher=National Solid Waste Management Department|year=2013|location=Malaysia|pages=57}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2009/11/23/using-worms-to-reduce-organic-waste/|title=Using worms to reduce organic waste - Community {{!}} The Star Online|last=Phon|first=Low Lay|website=www.thestar.com.my|access-date=2019-04-26|date=2009-11-23}} 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.

Legislation and regulations

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|+A summary of the policies and laws affecting waste management and recycling in Malaysia{{Cite journal|last1=Fitriyah|first1=Razali|last2=Choong|first2=Weng Wai|date=2019|title=Razali, Fitriyah, and Choong Weng Wai. "A Review of Malaysia Solid Waste Management Policies to Improve Recycling Practice and Waste Separation Among Households|journal=International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability|volume=6|issue=1–2|pages=39–45|doi=10.11113/ijbes.v6.n1-2.381|doi-access=free}}

!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