Malaysia to replace imports with domestic material

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will reduce the import of plastic scrap over time and rely on domestic material. A three-year plan to replace imports with domestic material has been outlined.
The government will impose a complete ban on plastic scrap imports after three years.
Malaysia became to the top importer of US scrap plastic this year after China banned imports of most recyclables beginning this year.
China Scrap Plastics Association Executive Director Steve Wong said the government had decided on a handful of key changes affecting scrap plastic imports.
Permits will be issued for operators that meet the new criteria.
“They did not really have a time frame when they will start to accept the applications of approved permits,” Wong was quoted by Resource Recycling as saying. “The only way people can import will be regrind*, which is imported under a different tariff
code.”
If and when permits are issued again, imports will only be allowed from the US, the European Union and Japan, he added.


*Regrind is a term that applies to plastic components/products, which have been mechanically, reduced in size to particles less than 10mm in diameter.