At the end of October 2018, Malaysia's three-month ban on plastics waste imports expired, but the country will apparently implement the ban indefinitely. National media reported that the permanent ban had already come into effect on 26 October. At the beginning of August 2018, the country suspended imports of plastics scrap – see Plasteurope.com of 03.08.2018. Exceptions are initially granted for higher-quality waste that can be reprocessed in recycling plants. However, these exemptions should also expire within three years.

In addition, only imported waste from the US, Europe or Japan is allowed. According to the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR, Brussels / Belgium; www.bir.org), a mere eight out of 114 companies that currently hold import licences meet the new strict conditions.

Thailand had put into place a similar temporary import ban in June 2018 – see Plasteurope.com of 02.11.2018. Vietnam had also followed suit. Following China's restrictions on waste imports at the start of 2018, the three countries received significantly more plastics scrap imports in the first half of 2018, including from Europe – see Plasteurope.com of 02.07.2018.