The Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) of Malaysia (currently known as the Ministry of Environment and Water [KASA]) published Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 on September 2018. Target items and measures on the Roadmap are listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Target Items and Measures on Single-Use Plastics
Items | Period | Measure |
|---|---|---|
Drinking straw | 2019 | No straw as default; straws given free upon request, in fixed premises |
2022 | Expand to non-fixed premises | |
Garbage bag of garden waste collection | 2019 | Local governments to utilise compostable class="table table-striped" garbage bags for garden waste collection |
Single-use plastic bag | 2019–2021 | Pollution charge imposed by state governments (fixed premises) |
2022 | Nationwide pollution charge | |
Food packaging, plastic film, cutlery, food container, polybag and plant pot, slow-release fertiliser | 2022–2025 | Expand scope of biodegradable and compostable class="table table-striped" products |
Single-use medical devices (e.g. catheters), diapers and feminine hygiene products, other single-use plastics that cannot enter the circular economy | 2026–2030 | Expand scope of biodegradable and compostable class="table table-striped" products |
Source: Government of Malaysia (2018).
During phase 1 (2018–2020) of the Roadmap implementation, several key policies have been adopted in Malaysia. These include: (a) limiting SIRIM eco-labelling only for biodegradable and compostable packaging, excluding oxo- and photo-degradable packaging, (b) plastic bag pollution charge (RM0.2 each), and (c) no straw as default.
Specific to single-use plastics, other identified actions are introducing incentives on eco-friendly products, revising eco-labelling on plastics, and formulating a circular economy roadmap for bottles, single-use plastics, and others.
On 27 January 2022, KASA issued the National Marine Litter Policy and Action Plan 2021–2030 (NMLPAP). The plan highlights priority areas and actions to address marine litter pollution in Malaysia. The purpose and objective of the NMLPAP is to guide national actions to address marine litter, as follows:
Address marine litter pollution through robust policy development.
Document concrete steps ahead on tackling marine litter pollution based on scientific evidence and lessons learnt from international, regional, and local efforts.
Coordinate efforts at every level of the federal government, state government, local government, as well as public, private, and social sectors.
Foster further research and innovation to prevent, monitor, and tackle marine litter pollution.
Deploy and implement cutting-edge technologies and innovation backed by strong national standards and guidelines, as well as a strengthened institutional and legal framework to ensure that Malaysia is at the forefront of global efforts to tackle marine plastic pollution.
Promote sharing of best practices and lessons learnt, whilst enhancing regional and international cooperation, and creating awareness and instigating behavioural change.
Increase access to finance and facilitate private sector engagement to promote investment, trade and market creation, and market-based incentives in industries and activities that enable marine litter management and prevention.
The NMLPAP will be coordinated and implemented by KASA, which will serve as the focal point in cooperation with key stakeholders, target groups, and responsible agencies. Three working groups are expected to be formed under a national steering committee headed by KASA, focussing on science and technology; policy; and communication, education, and public awareness. The NMLPAP contains six desired national outcomes, to be implemented through 17 identified actions and 103 key activities, under five priority pillars (Table 2).
Table 2. Identified Actions in National Marine Litter Policy and Action Plan 2021–2030
No. | Priority Pillar | Actions |
|---|---|---|
1. | Policy adoption and implementation | (Action 1) Promote national policy dialogues on prevention and reduction of marine litter from land- and sea-based activities by highlighting the issue, sharing information and knowledge, and strengthening national and regional coordination. |
2. | Deployment of technologies, innovation, and capacity building | (Action 5) Identify and deploy appropriate technologies and standards to tackle sources of marine litter pollution. |
3. | Improvement in monitoring and data collection on marine litter | (Action 10) Compile a national baseline on status and impacts of marine litter. |
4. | Communication, education and public awareness, and outreach | (Action 13) Promote collaborative actions with private sector and industry associations to implement measures to address marine litter issues. |
5. | Adoption of whole-of-nation and multi-stakeholder approach in harmonising cross-cutting objectives | (Action 16) Address human-rights issues in informal sectors through the establishment of public-private partnerships. |
Source: Government of Malaysia (2022).
The implementation of the actions stipulated in the NMLPAP are reflected in a timeline shown as a roadmap, divided into short term (2021–2023), medium term (2024–2027), and long term (2028–2030).
Alongside the Roadmap and the NMLPAP, Malaysia has developed a Plastic Sustainability Roadmap 2021–2030, launched on 10 December 2021. One of its mandates is to enhance plastic circularity through EPR, with a national target towards the mandatory implementation by 2026.
EPR adoption will be initiated by considering the readiness and capabilities of the private sector, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. In the first two years, the government will advocate for EPR adoption through various capacity-building activities (e.g. establishment of a think tank, establishment of a technical working group for data-sharing platform) and INSPiRE programme (by showcasing private companies’ success stories to catalyse a sustainable plastic value chain). After such inception phase, voluntary EPR will be implemented in 2023–2025.
Managed by the assigned producer responsibility organisation, obliged companies will contribute through an eco-modulated fee to manage their post-consumer waste. The fee may vary based on production volume and turnover, as well as the material and its recoverability and recyclability. To guide a transition to mandatory EPR implementation in 2026, an EPR governance framework will be developed starting from 2022, incorporating the EPR target, responsibilities of each stakeholder, eco-modulated fee structure, and mechanism for product improvement.
The Roadmap also sets some reasonable national targets:
Phasing out problematic single-use plastics
25% post-consumer plastic packaging to be recycled by 2025
100% recyclability of plastic packaging by 2030
15% average recycled content by 2030
76% average collected-for-recycling rate by 2025
Post-consumer halal recycled polyethylene terephthalate standards by 2022.
Government of Malaysia (2018), Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030. Putrajaya: MESTECC. https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/content/30918 (accessed 31 May 2021).
Government of Malaysia (2021), Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap, 2021-2030. https://www.kasa.gov.my/ms/mpsr (accessed 14 December 2021).
Government of Malaysia (2022), National Marine Litter Policy and Action Plan 2021–2030. https://www.kasa.gov.my/resources/alam-sekitar/national-marine-litter-policy/26/ (accessed 02 February 2022).
The Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) of Malaysia (currently known as the Ministry of Environment and Water [KASA]) published Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 on September 2018. Target items and measures on the Roadmap are listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Target Items and Measures on Single-Use Plastics
Items | Period | Measure |
|---|---|---|
Drinking straw | 2019 | No straw as default; straws given free upon request, in fixed premises |
2022 | Expand to non-fixed premises | |
Garbage bag of garden waste collection | 2019 | Local governments to utilise compostable class="table table-striped" garbage bags for garden waste collection |
Single-use plastic bag | 2019–2021 | Pollution charge imposed by state governments (fixed premises) |
2022 | Nationwide pollution charge | |
Food packaging, plastic film, cutlery, food container, polybag and plant pot, slow-release fertiliser | 2022–2025 | Expand scope of biodegradable and compostable class="table table-striped" products |
Single-use medical devices (e.g. catheters), diapers and feminine hygiene products, other single-use plastics that cannot enter the circular economy | 2026–2030 | Expand scope of biodegradable and compostable class="table table-striped" products |
Source: Government of Malaysia (2018).
During phase 1 (2018–2020) of the Roadmap implementation, several key policies have been adopted in Malaysia. These include: (a) limiting SIRIM eco-labelling only for biodegradable and compostable packaging, excluding oxo- and photo-degradable packaging, (b) plastic bag pollution charge (RM0.2 each), and (c) no straw as default.
Specific to single-use plastics, other identified actions are introducing incentives on eco-friendly products, revising eco-labelling on plastics, and formulating a circular economy roadmap for bottles, single-use plastics, and others.
On 27 January 2022, KASA issued the National Marine Litter Policy and Action Plan 2021–2030 (NMLPAP). The plan highlights priority areas and actions to address marine litter pollution in Malaysia. The purpose and objective of the NMLPAP is to guide national actions to address marine litter, as follows:
Address marine litter pollution through robust policy development.
Document concrete steps ahead on tackling marine litter pollution based on scientific evidence and lessons learnt from international, regional, and local efforts.
Coordinate efforts at every level of the federal government, state government, local government, as well as public, private, and social sectors.
Foster further research and innovation to prevent, monitor, and tackle marine litter pollution.
Deploy and implement cutting-edge technologies and innovation backed by strong national standards and guidelines, as well as a strengthened institutional and legal framework to ensure that Malaysia is at the forefront of global efforts to tackle marine plastic pollution.
Promote sharing of best practices and lessons learnt, whilst enhancing regional and international cooperation, and creating awareness and instigating behavioural change.
Increase access to finance and facilitate private sector engagement to promote investment, trade and market creation, and market-based incentives in industries and activities that enable marine litter management and prevention.
The NMLPAP will be coordinated and implemented by KASA, which will serve as the focal point in cooperation with key stakeholders, target groups, and responsible agencies. Three working groups are expected to be formed under a national steering committee headed by KASA, focussing on science and technology; policy; and communication, education, and public awareness. The NMLPAP contains six desired national outcomes, to be implemented through 17 identified actions and 103 key activities, under five priority pillars (Table 2).
Table 2. Identified Actions in National Marine Litter Policy and Action Plan 2021–2030
No. | Priority Pillar | Actions |
|---|---|---|
1. | Policy adoption and implementation | (Action 1) Promote national policy dialogues on prevention and reduction of marine litter from land- and sea-based activities by highlighting the issue, sharing information and knowledge, and strengthening national and regional coordination. |
2. | Deployment of technologies, innovation, and capacity building | (Action 5) Identify and deploy appropriate technologies and standards to tackle sources of marine litter pollution. |
3. | Improvement in monitoring and data collection on marine litter | (Action 10) Compile a national baseline on status and impacts of marine litter. |
4. | Communication, education and public awareness, and outreach | (Action 13) Promote collaborative actions with private sector and industry associations to implement measures to address marine litter issues. |
5. | Adoption of whole-of-nation and multi-stakeholder approach in harmonising cross-cutting objectives | (Action 16) Address human-rights issues in informal sectors through the establishment of public-private partnerships. |
Source: Government of Malaysia (2022).
The implementation of the actions stipulated in the NMLPAP are reflected in a timeline shown as a roadmap, divided into short term (2021–2023), medium term (2024–2027), and long term (2028–2030).
Alongside the Roadmap and the NMLPAP, Malaysia has developed a Plastic Sustainability Roadmap 2021–2030, launched on 10 December 2021. One of its mandates is to enhance plastic circularity through EPR, with a national target towards the mandatory implementation by 2026.
EPR adoption will be initiated by considering the readiness and capabilities of the private sector, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. In the first two years, the government will advocate for EPR adoption through various capacity-building activities (e.g. establishment of a think tank, establishment of a technical working group for data-sharing platform) and INSPiRE programme (by showcasing private companies’ success stories to catalyse a sustainable plastic value chain). After such inception phase, voluntary EPR will be implemented in 2023–2025.
Managed by the assigned producer responsibility organisation, obliged companies will contribute through an eco-modulated fee to manage their post-consumer waste. The fee may vary based on production volume and turnover, as well as the material and its recoverability and recyclability. To guide a transition to mandatory EPR implementation in 2026, an EPR governance framework will be developed starting from 2022, incorporating the EPR target, responsibilities of each stakeholder, eco-modulated fee structure, and mechanism for product improvement.
The Roadmap also sets some reasonable national targets:
Phasing out problematic single-use plastics
25% post-consumer plastic packaging to be recycled by 2025
100% recyclability of plastic packaging by 2030
15% average recycled content by 2030
76% average collected-for-recycling rate by 2025
Post-consumer halal recycled polyethylene terephthalate standards by 2022.
Government of Malaysia (2018), Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030. Putrajaya: MESTECC. https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/content/30918 (accessed 31 May 2021).
Government of Malaysia (2021), Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap, 2021-2030. https://www.kasa.gov.my/ms/mpsr (accessed 14 December 2021).
Government of Malaysia (2022), National Marine Litter Policy and Action Plan 2021–2030. https://www.kasa.gov.my/resources/alam-sekitar/national-marine-litter-policy/26/ (accessed 02 February 2022).
