Malaysia cracks down on plastic waste imports with stricter laws

Malaysia’s Federal Government has tightened its packaging waste import law. The new rules require all scrap plastic imports — originating from any country — to be approved by the government-owned certification organization SIRIM Berhad. 

Under the new law, mixed plastic loads can only contain mixtures of PE, PET, and PP, and exporting countries must ship all other resins in homogeneous loads. The guidelines define homogenous as reaching at least 99.5% purity. 

Amy Youngman, legal and policy specialist at the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), tells Packaging Insights that Malaysia’s legislative changes are a “critical counterbalance” to the “global mismanagement” of plastic waste. 

“Malaysia has introduced a much tighter import regime. The changes close longstanding loopholes and rightfully impose stricter requirements on exporting countries, which must now prove that waste shipments are legal, low in contamination, and properly managed.”

Youngman says high-income countries continue to opt for plastic packaging waste exports instead of addressing “systemic failures” in domestic recycling and waste prevention. 

“For too long, reliance on waste exports has obscured the structural failures in how plastic is produced, consumed, and discarded, enabling major producers to avoid accountability.”

Following Basel criteria

The Basel Convention regulated plastic scrap imports in 2021, but each party country must adopt domestic laws to enforce those rules.

In guidelines published by SIRIM, the organization wrote that it will approve imports only from countries that are party to the Basel Convention, the global treaty regulating waste shipments, or that have a separate agreement between the two countries as allowed under the Basel rules.Youngman calls on waste exporting nations to improve their plastic recycling infrastructures at home.

Youngman explains that the amendment is further operationalized through updated guidelines by Malaysia’s inspection and certification body. “These guidelines clarify that exporters must submit proof of Basel Party status and provide valid prior informed consent documentation.” 

“Prior to export to Malaysia, all shipments must undergo pre-shipment inspection, meet strict contamination thresholds, and be destined for authorised recycling facilities that meet Malaysia’s environmental standards.”

“Malaysia has done a great job of effectively translating the core principles of the Basel Convention into domestic law, ensuring that plastic waste can only be imported under strict conditions that protect human health and the environment, with enforceable oversight of cross-border movements.”

US exports heavily affected 

The SIRIM requirement of only allowing imports of countries that are a party to the Basel Convention means shipments from US exporters are not eligible for import into Malaysia, because the US is not a Basel party and has no separate agreement with Malaysia.

Malaysia remains a large export market for US scrap plastic, suggesting the new regulation could create a significant disruption. 

“The US, which exports an average of 2.3 million kg of plastic waste to Malaysia each month, will need to halt these shipments, equivalent to around 14 shipping containers every single day, under the new rules,” says Youngman.

UN Global Plastics Treaty hopes

While the EU recently revised its packaging waste shipment regulation, other regions have yet to provide transparency on their waste handling operations.

On a global level, Youngman says that the upcoming round of negotiations for a UN Global Plastics Treaty offers a chance to close the plastic life cycle.

“The treaty can tackle not only waste but also upstream drivers such as overproduction, toxic additives, and poor product design. While some oil-producing countries continue to resist binding commitments, strong signals from high ambition countries give hope for meaningful change.”

“Waste trade is not a neutral exchange. It shifts environmental burdens across borders, often from high-consumption countries to those with limited capacity to manage the consequences,” she adds.

“Malaysia’s action sends a clear signal that the Global South is not the world’s dumping ground. As treaty talks advance, we urge exporting countries to match Malaysia’s ambition by imposing their own full export bans on plastic waste to end waste colonialism once and for all.”