Long-term success hinges on managing domestic collection: Expert
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s absolute ban on electronic waste (e-waste) imports is a bold environmental move but experts say without urgent improvements to domestic collection and recycling, the policy could backfire and threaten the country’s circular economy ambitions.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment senior lecturer Dr Muhammad Ammirrul Atiqi Mohd Zainuri said improper handling of e-waste has long posed serious environmental and public health risks, particularly through illegal dumping and informal recycling.
“When electronic devices are disposed of in landfills or openly burned, toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium could leach into soil and groundwater, contaminating water supplies and harming aquatic ecosystems.”
He also said open burning of e-waste classified as “scheduled waste” also releases hazardous fumes containing dioxins and furans, contributing to significant air pollution, adding that the health implications are equally grave.
“Exposure to the toxins could result in neurological damage, respiratory illnesses and kidney failure, with children and pregnant women especially vulnerable.
“Children face risks including impaired brain development and birth defects, while substances such as brominated flame retardants could disrupt the endocrine system and increase cancer risks,” he said, emphasising that disposal through Department of Environment-licensed facilities is critical to prevent irreversible harm.
While the ban aims to stop Malaysia from becoming a global dumping ground, Muhammad Ammirrul said managing all e-waste domestically is a major challenge.
“There is a critical mismatch between policy and infrastructure,” he said, adding that most of Malaysia’s roughly 128 licensed e-waste facilities are partial recovery plants limited to basic dismantling.
“Fewer than 20 facilities have the advanced technology needed for full precious metal extraction.”
He also highlighted a “raw material paradox” exposed by the ban.
“Advanced plants require high, consistent volumes of e-waste to be economically viable, but the import ban has cut off a key supply line.”
With household e-waste collection rates estimated at about 25% and significant leakage into the informal sector, licensed recyclers now face a “feedstock shortage,” threatening the sustainability of high-tech recovery operations.
From a regulatory perspective, Muhammad Ammirrul described the absolute ban as a powerful legal deterrent.
“It closes the discretionary loopholes previously exploited by international waste syndicates and shifts Malaysia from being a global dumping ground to a sovereign regulator.”
However, he said the policy is a “high-stakes gamble.”
“Without foreign supply, high-tech plants risk insolvency unless domestic collection is drastically improved,” he said, adding that the ban’s long-term success hinges on redirecting household e-waste away from illegal operators and into the formal recycling chain.
Muhammad Ammirrul said Malaysia’s future lies in advanced “urban mining” technologies to unlock the economic value of e-waste.
“AI-powered robotic sorting could identify and separate components with 99.9% accuracy, reducing human exposure to toxins.”
He explained that hydrometallurgy, a chemical process using solutions to extract metals, is currently the “gold standard” for recovery, while biometallurgy, which employs microorganisms, represents the next green frontier.
He also cautioned about knock-on effects for the repair and refurbishment sector, research institutions and green foreign investment, emphasising that policy instability could deter investors.
“The lack of a robust domestic policy for household e-waste is the missing link.
“Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, Malaysia must go beyond import bans to build a fully integrated, closed-loop ecosystem if it aims to become a regional leader in sustainable resource recovery.”
