KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — When it comes to waste and recycling, those who grew up in the 1990s will remember this familiar tune:
“Recycle, yes it’s true,
Recycle, that’s the thing to do,
Recycle, state your case,
Don’t let it go to waste.”
This jingle accompanied a recycling campaign launched in the ‘90s.
The song is no longer played today, but has Malaysia made progress in recycling over the years?
According to Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming, significant progress has been made only since 2015, when waste separation became mandatory under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007.
He said the national recycling rate more than doubled from 15.7 per cent to 35.38 per cent in 2023.
However, this still falls short of the government’s 40 per cent target by 2025.
As of today, Malaysians generate 39,078 tonnes of waste daily — the equivalent of 25 Petronas Twin Towers worth of trash.
To put this into perspective, it would take 3,908 trucks to transport the country’s daily waste, forming a single line stretching over 52km.
How did the government arrive at the 35.38 per cent recycling rate?
The idea of nationwide recycling first emerged in 1988, when the then-Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) drafted the Action Plan for a Beautiful and Clean Malaysia. This was followed by the launch of Malaysia’s first National Recycling Programme (NRP) in 1993, involving 23 local councils.
The programme saw some success in Petaling Jaya, Melaka, and Kuching, but failed to take off in other areas due to a lack of market demand for recyclables, poor collection services, and the absence of a policy framework and master plan for recycling.
As a result, the government relaunched the NRP in 2000.
In September 2015, waste separation was made mandatory in selected states, including Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Johor, Melaka, Pahang, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, and Perlis.
Later, in 2021, the government introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, which requires manufacturers to bear the cost of managing and recycling packaging waste generated throughout a product’s lifecycle.
Recycle, recycle, recycle
In January, waste management company Alam Flora Sdn Bhd announced 10 additional recycling collection points across Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Kuantan to boost recycling efforts.
Collected waste is sent to two sorting and processing centres, where recyclables are separated before being transported to Integrated Recycling Facilities (IRFs).
One key recycling hub, Fasiliti Inovasi Kitar Semula (FIKS) in Precinct 5, Putrajaya, features a 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) boutique and a buy-back centre where the public can sell recyclables.
Another facility, RISE@KL (Recovery Sustainable Eco-Friendly Kuala Lumpur) in Batu Caves, is a semi-automated recycling hub that sorts materials before they are processed into new products.
Currently, RISE@KL is developing Malaysia’s first dry/clean materials recovery facility (MRF) in the Klang Valley.
RISE@KL in Taman Sri Batu Caves sorts recyclables at the source and prepares them for manufacturers to be reprocessed into new products. — Picture courtesy of RISE@KL
Still adapting to the recycling culture
Despite these efforts, many Malaysians are still adjusting to efficient recycling habits.
However, significant changes have occurred over the years.
How has the recycling culture evolved?
- The government urged hypermarkets to eliminate single-use plastic shopping bags
- A small fee was introduced for plastic bags, leading most retailers to offer biodegradable, paper, or reusable shopping bags instead.
- Malaysians were introduced to biodegradable and edible straws. Today, many eateries no longer provide plastic straws, offering biodegradable or edible alternatives at a small cost instead.
- In January 2017, the Selangor state government banned polystyrene food containers, imposing a RM1,000 fine on violators. By July 2025, Pahang will follow suit.
- Waste separation has expanded to include designated bins for liquid waste, such as melted ice or soup.
- More state governments and NGOs are providing accessible recycling bins for the public to drop off recyclables.
What happens if households fail to separate waste?
They can be fined.
In states where waste separation is mandatory — Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Pahang, Perlis, and Kedah — penalties apply:
Landed properties: RM50 fine for first-time offenders, increasing to RM500 for repeat violations.
High-rise buildings (condominiums and apartments): Fines start at RM100 and go up to RM500.
Repeat offenders who refuse to pay could face prosecution, with fines reaching up to RM10,000.
For fourth-time offenders and beyond, no compound will be issued — instead, they will be charged in court.
In May 2023, KPKT Minister Nga Kor Ming announced that the law will soon be enforced in Selangor, with discussions underway for Penang.
Malaysia is not alone
If Malaysians find recycling inconvenient, other countries enforce even stricter policies:
- Singapore mandates shopping malls and hotels to separate organic food waste to improve composting and recycling.
- South Korea introduced a Pay-As-You-Throw system, requiring residents to purchase designated waste bags.
- Germany requires both households and businesses to sort waste into six different bins.
- Australia provides households with three coloured bins to separate general waste, recyclables, and organic waste.
What’s next?
No more plastics
By 2026, Malaysia will enforce a mandatory EPR scheme. In preparation, the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Ministry has already banned single-use plastics at all government meetings and functions.
In November 2023, the NRES Ministry announced that Malaysia is moving towards a nationwide single-use plastic ban by 2026. Several states, including Negeri Sembilan, Penang, and Kota Kinabalu, have already adopted the ban under the Zero Single-Use Plastic Roadmap (2018-2030).
Powerful trash
In July 2023, the government identified 18 potential sites for waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, with each state in Peninsular Malaysia set to have one.
With the WTE system, the government aims to reduce reliance on landfills and divert solid waste to energy production, following the footsteps of countries like Singapore, Vietnam, and China.
Recycling bins places in shopping complexes for waste separation can be located at most malls today. — Picture by Raymond Manuel
What else can Malaysians recycle (or not recycle)?
Recyclables:
- Household items: Scrap metal, aluminium cookware, and old furniture (accepted at IPC Recycling, Thanam Industry Sdn Bhd, and Unearth)
- Textiles: Used clothes (accepted at H&M, Monki, and Kloth Circularity for recycling)
- Organic waste: Fruit and vegetable scraps (for composting or biogas production)
Non-recyclables:
- Contaminated paper products (e.g., tissue, wax-coated paper cups, greasy food packaging)
- Polystyrene (Styrofoam), plastic straws, and food-contaminated plastic containers
- Hazardous waste (e.g., leaking batteries, fluorescent bulbs)
- Meat, dairy, and oily food waste (unsuitable for composting)