Malaysia steps up efforts to curb illegal e-waste recyclers

 Timely isn't it? Just when I write about this industry, things begin to happen all around. This time the Royal Malaysian Police acting on a tip off from none other that His Royal Highness Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Al-Sultan Abdullah (Regent of Pahang) through the Inspector General of Police's Secretariat alongside members of the Anti Money Laundering Squad of Bukit Aman raided at least 6 illegal waste operating sites in Pekan, Bandar Muazzam Shah (Pahang), Simpang Renggam (Johor), Gemencheh and Rembau (Negeri Sembilan) as well as one in Bukit Tagar, Selangor.

As I mentioned in my previous article, these illegal operators make so much in profits that any raid or closure of their facilities will only push them further underground. They have no responsibilities and continue to pollute both their surroundings as well as waterways.

The value of such canibalised metals are so high these days that. they simply harness, liquid and disappear into the next land that they can secure on a short to middle term lease. They operate without a care for the environment and only have profits as their goal.

So, will these raids be effective for Malaysia's long term objective? For some perspective, one can argue that it started some time in 2018 when then newly minted Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Yeo Bee Yin had declared an open war on environment polluters, starting from the illegal dumping of chemicals in Johor, and Puchong. That further developed into front page photos of her opening containers of waste, which also included e-waste and 'demanding that developed' countries stop using Malaysia as their garbage dump.

Perhaps, back then having to win over the media, not much attention was paid to what the recycling industry was churning, billions of Ringgit in much needed revenue to revive Malaysia's dwindling economy. Fast forward to 3 ministers later post Mahathir's 2nd coming, still not much is done enough for those that are legal and fighting a system created to challenge them instead of helping the industry grow.

In Norway for example, instead of battling different producers and materials, the European directive of waste electronic and electrical equipment has authorised 'Productive Creative Schemes' or PCS. It helps producers through a scheme championed by approved agencies to collect and package and passes the cost directly to producers. But what then becomes of other wastes? Collectedresponsibly, it becomes a much needed resource for licensed legal recyclers. Win + Win, and Norway leads the way !

So why aren't countries like Malaysia following these steps? In fact even in Singapore (it is almost always argued that Singapore is small, so easier to manage) such positive steps are already taken and even household batteries, which does not score very high on the recycle-o-meter in terms of value, has found its very own home in waste recovery efforts.

While countries like Norway, can see why their policies might help turn around an industry shunned by the Basel Convention, though many have totally misunderstood the very reason of the accord, others like Malaysia is still more interested in the headline grabbing news of illegal factory raids.

As calls grow for the Anwar Ibrahim led government to do more in order to protect legal operators from being seen in bad light, as well as the shrinking of resources created by the blanket ban that it has been imposing on e-waste imports - Singapore, Thailand and Vietname stand to gain more and more from Malaysia's short sightedness in recognising that there is really a pot of gold at the end of the e-waste rainbow!

Malaysia's DOE regulates e-waste. Or do they?

pix from New Straits Times

It's 2024, and much has happened since Yeo Bee Yin's crusade against waste processing, in particular e-waste.

In Singapore, it is estimated that there are at least 60,000 tons of e-waste produced annually. E-waste is defined as any items discarded that runs on electricity, with or without batteries. In fact, Singapore has around 800 collection centres, many of which includes retailers who have a 'collect back' policy especially for customers who have upgraded their equipment or devices. While the NEA (National Environmental Agency) oversees this, in Malaysia, that role falls under the DOE (Department of Environment)

The DOE's e-waste management notice on its website alone will confuse you more, as it says 'it is the responsibility of the consumer to dispose off their e-waste responsibly' by contacting registered e-waste recyclers by either dropping off or getting them to collect. All well and good. And....it stops there. No list of registered recyclers, no schedule of waste classification except for a general statement of 'SW110' code for waste that is classified as scheduled waste. Cantik.

And what about the current Madani government, whose Minister Nik Nazmi is more concerned about his fitness than the blanket ban for the industry of e-waste recycling. Why so? Malaysia does not generate enough e-waste, in fact the importation of e-waste too is 'controlled', perhaps by a blind sight of the ratification of the Basel Accord.

Given that there are technologies especially green technology available to best recycle these classified waste, why is Nik Nazmi taking his time to see the benefits of a controlled industry? Illegal waste recyclers have been moving their operations by exploiting cheap labour all these years, polluting the local areas where they operate.

The Minister has the authority, but will he choose to open his eyes to legitimate recyclers who can and are willing to take the lead to put Malaysia on a trajectory of being e-waste champions that even Singapore seems to be ahead of?

We aim to show what and where Malaysia is lacking and should do, and benefit from this waste that simply is a matter that should be managed, not blanketly ignored.

(NEXT: The e-waste Industry- how does the Madani Government manage it?)

Malaysia's Dilemma-Developing country or Developed country

Malaysia and Singapore's planned SEZ (Special Economic Zone) that was announced to be within the ghostly Forest City is indeed a welcomed one, when one City State battles for much needed space while Malaysia fights for much required foreign investments.

Malaysia thinks of itself as an 'ASEAN Tiger' (Says former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir) while even UMNO stalwart Tengku Razaleigh claims that it was never even one.

While powers today such as Anwar's Ministers grapple to even find its own position given that Malaysia had signed many accords while trying to reinvent itself. 

Among many of Malaysia's lost causes is one that baffles me as someone who can see how Malaysia can benefit from Singapore. In recent times, in fact, as far back as 2018 a certain Minister of Environment, Science and Technology Yeo Bee Yin declared an all out 'war' against waste recycling announcing that Malaysia would not be part of the 'worlds garbage' dump. As such Malaysia's ratification of the Basel Convention which it signed in 1992 is now stopping it from benefitting directly from Singapore )among many countries.

How so?

While countries that realise that there are indeed gold among recycling of waste, in particular e-waste, Malaysia's current Environment & Natural Resources Minister chooses to prolong Malaysia's arrogance (or rather stupidity) in NOT realising that the Basel Convention itself has room for such advantages, as some other countries have found in negotiating the accord by recycling e-waste responsibly in line with respecting the environment.

While Malaysia which is still considered a developing country play high and mighty, it is denying industry pioneers from a livelihood that will spearhead a Malaysia-Singapore renaissance of 'Maju Bersama'

Come back for a more detailed deep dive into this and learn about responsibility to the environment that keeps countries that know how to turn in profits from waste, unlike Malaysia's continuance of pushing illegal recyclers that helps line the pockets of authorities.