Malaysia Enforce Restrictions on Plastic Waste Imports

On 1 July 2025, Malaysia significantly tightened restrictions on plastic waste imports under new rules that amount to a ban on many types of plastic waste shipments from certain countries.

The changes are being implemented through amendments to Malaysia’s Customs Act and will be enforced via a new permitting system managed by SIRIM, a government agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry.

Under the updated framework, plastic waste imports into Malaysia will only be permitted if approved by SIRIM and must comply with detailed conditions set out in the newly published Guidelines for Importation and Inspection of Waste Plastic.

Among the key requirements, plastic waste must be recyclable, not sourced from landfill, and must meet strict purity thresholds – including a minimum of 99.5% homogeneity and no more than 2% contamination from non-plastic materials. Food waste, oils, and e-waste are subject to zero tolerance. Importers will also need to demonstrate they have the appropriate recycling capacity, including suitable in-house facilities and valid manufacturing licences. SIRIM will carry out inspections to verify production capabilities and ensure compliance with quota allocations.

Crucially, plastic waste can now only be imported from countries that have ratified the Basel Convention, or those that hold a valid trade agreement with Malaysia. This includes countries such as Japan, Australia and members of the ASEAN Free Trade Area.

Countries that have not ratified the Basel Convention – including the United States – will no longer be able to export plastic waste to Malaysia. In 2024, the US exported approximately 35,000 tonnes of plastic waste to Malaysia, making it one of the top five sources of imported plastic waste.

The updated guidelines effectively prohibit the import of post-consumer plastic waste in most cases, given the difficulty in meeting the new purity standards without advanced sorting and processing technology. While the guidelines do not formally ban all imports, the technical and logistical barriers now in place are expected to drastically reduce the volume of incoming waste.

Non-compliance will carry significant consequences. Any shipments failing to meet the standards must be returned to their country of origin at the importer’s expense, and repeated violations may disqualify companies from obtaining future permits.

All shipments must also be inspected by a SIRIM-approved Foreign Inspection Body or materials recovery facility before leaving the country of origin.

Malaysia is not alone in introducing stricter import controls. Both Thailand and Indonesia have also announced bans on plastic waste imports from 2025. However, concerns remain around enforcement, with reports of plastic waste continuing to enter these countries under the guise of mixed paper shipments or other loopholes.

These developments come amid wider international scrutiny over the trade in plastic waste, and efforts to ensure that plastic waste is processed closer to its point of origin and recycled content and quality claims can be verified to combat fraud.

From 2026, the EU plans to ban exports of non-hazardous plastic waste to non-OECD countries – a move that aligns with the direction taken by Malaysia and others.

Click here for the Sustainable Plastics article.