Malaysia closes illegal plastic recycling facilities

According to Malaysian government and media reports, close to 140 illegal plastic recycling plants operating in the nation have been closed since the beginning of this year for violating the country’s Environmental Quality Act 1974.

Department of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin says the Malaysian government has opened 48 investigation papers and four factories have been punished, while 44 more were charged with summonses exceeding $740,000.

“All 139 factories closed or [which] had their operation ceased were the results of inspections on 239 plastic recycling factories via integrated operations [held] since the beginning of this year,” says Yin. Punishments have included fines in the $96,000 range and one day in jail for plant owners.

Estimating that Malaysia imported some 750,000 metric tons of plastic scrap in 2018, Yin adds, “We have 400 legal plastic waste recycling factories in the country, but it does not mean they [all] are adhering to the law, so monitoring has to be conducted at least twice a year to ensure their continuous compliance.”

Following what the ministry calls an “active integrated operation” in Selangor state beginning in July 2018, many of the operators moved to other states, according to the ministry.