Zero Waste in Malaysia
The zero waste movement is a global initiative aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainable living by focusing on the reduction, reuse, and recycling of materials.
In Malaysia, this movement is gaining traction, with organisations like Zero Waste Malaysia spearheading efforts to increase awareness and advocate for sustainable practices.
The objective is to transform Malaysia into a more environmentally conscious nation through education, community involvement, and policy changes, positively impacting both the environment and the economy.
What is zero waste?
Zero waste is a philosophy and a design principle that aims to eliminate waste by ensuring all products are reused, repaired, or recycled back into the environment or the marketplace.
The goal is to create a closed-loop system where resources are continuously cycled, mimicking natural waste free processes.
Concept and Lifestyle
The concept of zero waste is simple - to live in a way that produces little to no waste. This approach encourages individuals and communities to minimise their consumption, reuse items as much as possible, and recycle the rest.
The zero-waste lifestyle challenges the traditional linear economy of “take, make, dispose” and promotes a circular economy where products and materials are kept in use for as long as possible.
This not only helps conserve resources but also reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a healthier planet.
Waste Management Issue in Malaysia
Malaysia faces significant challenges in managing its waste, which is driven by rapid urbanisation, population growth, and economic development.
According to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, the country generates a substantial amount of waste daily, the highest waste category found and rising from 19,000 tons per day in 2005 to 38,000 tons per day in 2018.
This increase has put immense pressure on the existing waste management infrastructure.
One of the primary challenges is the limited space for landfills. According to the International Trade Administration, Malaysia is projected to run out of landfill space by 2050, necessitating the urgent need for alternative waste management solutions.
The high cost of landfill operations and the environmental impact of waste disposal further complicate the issue.
Another significant challenge is the low recycling rate. Despite promoting recycling, Malaysia’s recycling rate remains lower than its neighbouring countries. This is partly due to a lack of public awareness and inconsistent policy implementation across different states.
The management of plastic waste could be more problematic. Malaysia has become one of the largest importers of plastic waste globally, exacerbating the local waste management crisis.
The improper disposal and inadequate plastic waste recycling pose severe environmental and health risks.
Additionally, the country needs more infrastructure and expertise in Malaysian household waste management.
The reliance on traditional waste disposal methods, such as landfilling and incineration, highlights the need for more advanced and sustainable waste management technologies and greener Malaysia.
Ajinomoto Malaysia towards Zero Plastic Waste by 2030
Aligned with Ajinomoto Malaysia’s "Zero Plastic Waste by 2030" objective, we are driven to reduce plastic waste across our operations. Our goal is to minimise plastic usage in product packaging and accelerate our transition towards a circular economy. Our plastic waste reduction initiatives include:
- Increase the recyclability of plastic and packaging materials, with a target to transition towards 100% recyclable packaging materials by 2030. To realise our ambition, we have been conducting studies to enable the replacement of non-recyclable plastic packaging material with recyclable material in successive stages.
- Reduce plastic generation by implementing measures such as reducing plastic thickness and size, as well as Packaging Material (“PM”) elimination. We aim to reduce plastic consumption by 11 tonnes in FYE2024 and we have achieved 10.80 tonnes of plastic reduction through usage elimination, thickness reduction and dimension rationalisation.
- This year, we embraced the Extended Producer Responsibility (“EPR”) framework in collaboration with the MAREA, aligning with Ajinomoto Malaysia’s pursuit towards zero plastic waste. As we transition to using 100% recyclable materials, we aim to enhance the collection and recycling rate of our packaging materials for our sold products through this partnership. Within the EPR framework, our objectives include establishing a collection system through sales branches or dedicated collection points, as well as raising awareness through product advertisements.
