Malaysian delegation explores circular economy in Europe

Malaysian delegation at the GIZ Networking Day in Brussels. © GIZ

Collaborative Action for Single Use Plastic Prevention in South-East Asia (CAPSEA) 2.0 

GIZ Joint Delegation Visit to the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2024 and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Study Tour to Fost Plus, Brussels and N+P, Rotterdam

15th – 19th April 2024 

 

🌍On its way towards a circular economy the Malaysian government aims to reduce single-use plastic by implementing an Extend Producer Responsibility (EPR) system. GIZ on behalf of the BMUV Export Initiative Environmental Protection (EXI) is supporting the government with policy recommendations and creating legal framework conditions that for example increase the recyclability. 
 

♻️As part of the EXI knowledge transfer GIZ Malaysia, under the project module of CAPSEA 2.0, organized a study trip to Belgium and the Netherlands to exchange on experiences and find some inspirational ideas for creating an EPR system adapted to the local context in Malaysia. Therefore, GIZ has brought six Malaysian high-ranking delegates to the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2024 in Brussels on 15-18th April 2024. The forum served as an important platform advocating for a global transition to a circular economy, with a focus on circularity efforts. This event has gathered business leaders, policymakers, and experts from around the world to discuss circular roadmaps and showcase circular economy - focusing on circular solutions for planet and the economy.

The participating Malaysian delegates were from the Malaysian Ministry of Economy (KE), Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), SIRIM Berhad (formerly known as the Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia), the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp), and the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (MGTC).

In conjunction with the WCEF 2024, on 16th April 2024, during the ASEAN Workshop on Circular Economy towards Advancing Sustainable Cooperation in the Region, Ms. Tan Yong Nee of SIRIM Berhad has presented Malaysia’s significant contribution to the ASEAN Circular Economy transition, notably on Circular Economy strategy development via the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMK-12); and Eco-Design initiatives in Malaysia. 📝 

To effectively integrate Eco-Design into Malaysia’s Circular Economy Framework through the EPR policy, she highlighted that continuous Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) programmes support and capacity building across government and industries are crucial to develop the Standard Harmonization for Eco-Design in Malaysia.

As for the EPR Study Tour, the delegates visited Fost Plus in Brussels and N+P in Rotterdam on 17th and 19th April 2024 to see and learn about the implementation of an EPR system, especially on how to set-up a Producer Responsibility Organizations (PRO) and sorting plant operation. Further objectives were to provide a face-to-face training for the delegates with the EPR experts from cyclos GmbH and Oeko Institute and establish partnership and networking between Malaysian stakeholders and EPR communities in ASEAN and Europe. 🌍🤝

While N+P is one of the Europe’s leaders for the processing and sorting of non-recyclable waste fractions, Fost Plus is the Belgian PRO for municipal packaging waste, that is responsible for the organization and funding of the recycling chain for household packaging. Based on the sites visit to N+P and Fost Plus, the following were the observations and lesson learned throughout the excursion: 

  1. Malaysia should start with a simple EPR system, oversight by the relevant ministries, agencies, and appointed PRO. 
  2. The EPR system should start with one PRO to establish the registration of obliged companies with verified data resources. 
  3. The first obliged companies should be the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) companies that contribute to the plastic waste.  
  4. The voluntary EPR scheme in Malaysia should start with the development of the EPR ecosystem, which includes effective data management system, before EPR becomes mandatory.  
  5. A strategic partnership and trust between the government and PRO are crucial to realize the EPR system in Malaysia. 
     

The excursion to the WCEF 2024 and EPR Study Tour in Brussels and Rotterdam has served as an eye opener to Malaysian delegates especially on the EPR system and operation, translated from the theoretical approach to practical activities. Furthermore, these events also have exposed the delegates, i.e., the Ministry of Economy (KE) on the progress of Circular Economy activities around the world that might be beneficial for the upcoming Thirteenth Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) development by the Ministry.  🌍📈
 
Impressions of the visit: Malaysian delegation explores circular economy in Europe | Knowledge Hub for Green Technologies (greentechknowledgehub.de)

Further information:  
GIZ: CAP-SEA 2 (exportinitiative-umweltschutz.de)