Malaysia is the world’s second-largest dumping ground for plastic waste from the European Union (EU), undermining its government’s commitments to prevent the Southeast Asian nation from becoming a destination for detritus from around the world.
Data from the Statistical Office of the EU (Eurostat) showed that the amount of plastic waste from this bloc to Malaysia last year increased by 35% compared to 2022. The EU exported 8.5 million tonnes of paper, plastic, and glass to other countries in 2023, up 34% from the year before, of which over a fifth of its destined for dumps in Malaysia.