The Circular Economy Blueprint for Solid Waste in Malaysia 2025–2035 establishes a national policy framework for transitioning solid waste management from a linear model towards a circular economy. It aims to minimise waste generation, maximise resource efficiency and promote the continued circulation of materials through refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle and recover strategies. The Blueprint sets a vision for 2050 and provides a strategic framework, stakeholder roles, initiatives and action plans for the circular economy transition in the solid waste sector. The strategic framework comprises five pillars covering governance and legislation, guidelines and procedures, digitalisation and technology, infrastructure and facilities, and market creation. Measures include reviewing and developing legislation for solid waste management and the circular economy; establishing a mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility scheme; strengthening licensing arrangements; introducing packaging legislation and product design guidelines; establishing Zero-Waste-to-Landfill certification; and integrating circular economy principles into the planning, design and construction of infrastructure and public facilities. The Blueprint also provides for standards and guidelines concerning recyclable materials, packaging, product design and waste reduction. Waste management measures address separation at source, collection, sorting, treatment, material recovery, recycling and final disposal. The Blueprint provides for the development of Waste Eco Parks, Material Recovery Facilities and Integrated Waste Management Facilities, and for upgrading existing landfills into sanitary landfills with integrated material recovery facilities. It also provides for a Pay-As-You-Throw scheme for the commercial, industrial, institutional and construction sectors. Other measures concern markets for recycled materials, economic incentives for private-sector participation, circular economy business models, research and development, human-capital development, and communication, education and public-awareness programmes. The Blueprint provides for digitalisation of data collection and analysis across the solid waste management value chain, including information on waste generation, collection, transport, treatment, disposal and recycling, and proposes a digital platform for transactions involving recyclable materials. Implementation is assigned to federal ministries and agencies, state and local authorities, industry associations, private-sector entities and other stakeholders according to the individual initiatives. Implementation is organised into short-, medium- and long-term phases extending to 2035. Primary indicators include waste generation per capita, the national recycling rate, the amount of waste processed by recyclers and the amount of waste diverted from landfill.
Malaysia · 2025-01-01