KUALA LUMPUR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry is set to engage with major retailers and industry leaders this month to boost Malaysia's recycling rate.
Its minister Nga Kor Ming announced plans to meet with key players, including 7-Eleven, 99 SpeedMart, Mynews.com, and the Malaysia Recycling Alliance – comprising companies like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and Unilever – to improve the nation's recycling efforts.
Currently, Malaysia's recycling rate stands at 35 per cent, falling short of the 40 per cent target set for 2025.
Nga highlighted the progress made since 2015, adding that the national recycling rate had more than doubled, from 15.7 per cent to 35.38 per cent in 2023.
Despite this improvement, he said that more work was needed.
"The upcoming meeting aims to further enhance our recycling initiatives and advance our goal towards a circular economy," he said after launching the Circular Economy Conference 2024.
Nga also pointed out that Malaysia's recycling rate was part of a larger global issue, where the recycling rate remained disappointingly low.
Malaysians produce about 39,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, averaging 1.17kg per person.
Food waste constitutes the largest portion, making up 44.5 per cent of household waste, followed by plastic (13.2 per cent), disposable diapers (12.1 per cent), and paper (8.5 per cent).
Nga urged Malaysians to be mindful of food waste, saying, "Don't order too much, eat as much as you can, but ensure you do not waste it. Consider the hardships faced by children in Gaza and appreciate the abundant food we have here."