Producer responsibility among solutions to post-consumer waste issue

The implementation of the mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiative is among the core strategies identified in the Malaysian Plastics Conservation Framework 2021-2030 in the country’s effort to find a solution to post-consumer wastes including plastics.

Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said, subsequently, producers and owners of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies in the country were placed as among the leaders for the environmental sustainability agenda in Malaysia.

Tuan Ibrahim said cooperation with various quarters, especially the Malaysian Recycling Alliance (Marea) today, also proved that the environmental conservation agenda is not in the hands of the ministry alone.

“The establishment and operation of Marea indicated the formation of the first EPR group in Malaysia.

“The aim and aspiration of Marea are also in line with the ministry’s goal to achieve a recycling rate of 25 percent of post-consumer plastic packaging by 2025.

“Marea is one of the best examples of joint venture towards the sustainability of the environment by making beneficial use of expertise, knowledge and mobility of the resources involved and we hope it will inspire industry players to achieve the same mission,” he said when officiating Marea first anniversary celebration here, today.

Marea, which was established on Jan 4, 2021, is the first industry leaders’ voluntary non-profit EPR platform led by 10 FMCG companies in the country aimed at triggering a positive change by creating awareness on the recycling economic approach towards a more effective packaging waste management.

Marea works together with the Malaysian government and other stakeholders to increase the rate of collection and recycling in order to create a greener and cleaner Malaysia.

For a start, Marea will focus on efforts to collect, separate and recycle post-consumer packaging materials including polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, used beverage boxes and flexible plastic packages.

Tuan Ibrahim added that about 1.1 million tonnes of plastic waste, especially disposable plastics, were collected each year nationwide.

- Bernama