Malaysia Acts on Plastic Waste Imports - but to what effect?

By Trish Hyde, Managing Director The Plastics Circle

In the wake of Malaysia becoming the world's leading destination for waste exports, the Malaysia Government has again acted to limit the negative impacts on the nation by introducing a tax. The tax, aimed at lowering the flow of scrap plastic imports, are yet another sign that this Government takes sustainability seriously.

However, according to Mr Steve Wong, Chair China Scrap Plastics Association and Chair of Hong Kong plastics recycling company Fukutomi, because it is a very low tax it is unlikely to reduce the volume of imports (see Plastics Recycling Update http://ow.ly/8jOT30m5IND). In the article he proposes that contamination is the issue that needs to be addressed, and a tax may send the wrong message leading to lower quality bales entering Malaysia.

Dr Wong is a keynote speaker at Plasticity Malaysia - a conference dedicated to plastic sustainability and the circular economy. He will be speaking on “Global Perspective on Waste Stream Economics and Impacts of the Chinese National Sword”. Plasticity Malaysia - 25 Oct 2018 - Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur. http://www.plasticity.global.Lumpur. http://www.plasticity.global.