US Edition
The U.S. Sends Lots of Plastic Trash Overseas. Malaysia Just Said No Thanks.
- On July 1, 2025, Malaysia put a stop to all imports of plastic waste originating from the United States, citing concerns over environmental impact and the mislabeling of hazardous materials.
- This ban was implemented following the confiscation of over 100 containers containing hazardous materials that were incorrectly declared as raw materials, amid increasing international efforts to restrict the trade of plastic waste.
- In 2024, Malaysia became the top developing nation receiving discarded plastic from affluent countries, with more than 35,000 tons imported from the United States.
- Malaysian environment minister Nik Nazmi said, "we do not want Malaysia to be the world's rubbish bin," reflecting national environmental priorities.
- Malaysia's ban implies increased pressure on global plastic waste flows, potentially shifting the problem to countries less capable of managing it safely.
12 Articles
12 Articles
On July 1, the blockade for countries that do not adhere to the Basel Convention, the international treaty against the transport of hazardous waste, including plastic. In 2024 35 thousand tons of garbage had arrived in Malaysia from the USA, now in search of a new destination. China in 2018 had already closed its ports, moving this profitable but dangerous trade to Southeast Asia. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia still have less iron regulations.
Malaysia Shuts Door to US Plastic Waste
Malaysia has effectively banned all imports of plastic waste from the US, presenting a dilemma: Where will all our discarded candy wrappers and bottles go next? With the US recycling less than 10% of its plastic, much of the rest is incinerated, landfilled, or sent abroad, per the New York...
In the shadow of President Donald Trump’s tariff struggles, another kind of trade war is being waged, one involving candy wrappers and plastic bottles. On Tuesday, Malaysia, which last year received more discarded plastic from rich nations than any other developing country, actually banned all shipments of plastic waste from the United States. It may not seem like much. But the United States increasingly relies on countries like Malaysia to deal…
Malaysia has announced that it will not accept plastic waste from the United States and some other countries, on the grounds that they have not signed the Basel Convention, which regulates the international transportation of hazardous and plastic waste.
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