PublicDisclosureAuthorized

MALAYSIANPLASTICCIRCULARITYSERIESReport#4

ExploringPlasticCircularityOpportunitiesinthe

Authorized

AutomotiveSector

hm

Disclosure

Public

PublicDisclosureAuthorizedPublicDisclosureAuthorized

WORLDBANKGROUP

IFC

lnternational

Financecorporation

THEWORLDBANK

IBRD.IDA

PRBLUE

Administeredby

THEWORLDBANK

IBRD.lDAWORLDBANKGROUP

?2025TheWorldBankGroup

1818HStreetNW,Washington,DC20433

Telephone:202-473-1000;Internet:

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Contents

1.Introduction

2.Overviewofplasticusageandwasteintheautomotivesector

3.Challengesfordurableplasticrecyclingintheautomotivesector

4.Globalinitiativestoincreaseautomotiveplasticrecycling

5.Opportunitiestounlockrecyclingvalue

6.Conclusion

4

5

13

15

20

22

4

1.Introduction

ThisreportisthefourthintheMalaysianPlasticCircularitySeries,amarketassessmentconductedin2023-2024withtheobjectiveofofferingcomprehensiveinsightsintoMalaysia’splasticrecyclingeconomy.Theassessmentcoverstopicsalongthevaluechain,includingfeedstockcollection,infrastructure,policies,andinitiativestoaddressplasticwastechallenges,withanin-depthanalysisoftheelectricalandelectronics(E&E),automotive,construction,andhealthcaresectors.Informationontheapproach,methodology,andbackgroundtotheseriesisinthefirstreport,IntroductiontotheMalaysianPlasticCircularitySeries.

ThisreportcentersonMalaysia’sdurableplastic(Box1)recyclingvaluechainfortheautomotivesector.Thissector-specificassessmentaimstocreateamarketbyidentifyingpotentialopportunitiesindurableplasticrecyclinginMalaysiaandattractingprivatesectorinvestmentacrossthevaluechains.

InMalaysia,theautomotivesectorgeneratesanestimated94kilotonnesofplasticwasteperyearfromend-of-lifevehicles(ELVs).Polypropylene(PP)andacrylonitrilebutadienestyrene(ABS)arethekeyplasticsforrecycling,giventheircomparativelylargewastevolumesandin-sectorandcross-sectorapplicationopportunities.LiketheE&Esector,thestudy’sassessmentisthatonlyabout20percentofthesector’sdurableplasticwasteiscollected,andofthecollectedwaste,only32percentisrecycled.Thisinadequatesupplyofplasticwasteemphasizestheneedforcross-sectorplasticrecyclingefforts,suchasopen-looprecycling,comparedtoin-sectorclosed-looprecyclingefforts1Toincreaseautomotiveplasticrecycling,anationalcollaborativeeffortisnecessary.

TheplasticrecyclinglandscapesforMalaysia’sautomotiveandE&Esectorssharesimilarities,particularlythekeydurableplasticresinsusedandtheend-of-life(EOL)managementprocesses,includingwasterecoveryandrecycling.Asaresult,theinsightsandfindingsforthesetwosectorsarealsosimilar.2

InMalaysia,theautomotive

sectorgeneratesanestimated94kilotonnesofplastic

wasteperyearfromend-

of-lifevehicles.

1Theworkingdefinitionforclosed-looprecyclingusedinthisstudyisthatplasticwastefromonesectorisrecycledforuseinthesamesector.Thedefinitionforopen-looprecyclinginthisstudyisthatplasticwastefromagivensectorisrecycledforuseinothersectors,orplastic

wastefromothersectorsisrecycledforuseinthegivensector.Formoreinformation,seeIntroductiontotheMalaysianPlasticCircularitySeries.

2Formoreinformation,seeMalaysianPlasticCircularitySeries-ExploringPlasticCircularityOpportunitiesintheElectricalandElectronicsSector.

5

2.Overviewofplasticusageandwasteintheautomotivesector

InMalaysia,packagingisthelargestplasticsend-useapplicationsector,consuming45percentofplasticin2023(Figure1).Theautomotiveindustryisthesecond-largestnon-packaginganddurableplasticuser,accountingfor12percentofMalaysia’splasticconsumption.IFChasdevelopedaglobaldurableplasticrecyclingmarketopportunityscoringsystem,whichevaluatesacountry’saccesstoplasticwaste,ELVs,andelectronicwastefromEOLhomeappliances.Basedontheresults,Malaysiahasoneofthetop10highestmarketpotentialsfordurableplasticrecycling.Leadingtherankingsarelarge,advancedeconomiessuchastheUnitedStatesandGermany(Table1).

Figure1:BreakdownofplasticconsumptionbysectorandrevenueinMalaysia,2023

70

61.4

33.8

Malaysianringgit,Billions

60

28%

40

6%

50

FOCUS

Automotive

12%

3%

27.6

30

3%

3%

20

45%

10

0

Non-Packaging

Total

Packaging

Packaging□E&EAutomotive口Construction口Others口HouseholdAgriculture

Source:MPMA,20243

3MPMA(MalaysianPlasticsManufacturersAssociation).“2024Roadshow.”2024.

.my/upload/Industry_Outlook_2024_

Roadshow.pdf

6

IFC’sdurableplasticscoringsystemisbasedonthreepillarsdesignedtoidentifycountrieswiththehighestavailabilityofvehiclesandE&Efeedstock.

Pillar1.Currentaccesstodomesticandimportedplasticwaste(20percentweighting):Identifycountriesthatproducelargequantitiesofplasticwasteandimportplasticwastetobereused,andthathaveinitialpoliciesinplacetoenhancebusinessopportunities.

Pillar2.PotentialaccesstoELVs(40percentweighting):AssesstheaccesstoELVsbasedoncurrentsalesorcarsinuse,theexpectedincreaseinvehicles,andapplyapenaltytocountriesimportingusedcars(highlycorrelatedwithalongervehiclelife).

Pillar3.PotentialaccesstoE&Ewaste(40percentweighting):Measurethemarketsizeoflargeandsmallappliances,e-wastegenerated,andpoliciestoencouragecompaniestorecyclee-waste.

Table1:IFC’sGlobalDurablePlasticsRecyclingMarketOpportunityScoring

Country

GlobalRanking

Accessto

plastics4

AccesstoELVs5(Focusofthisreport)

AccesstoEOLhomeappliances6

UnitedStates

1

1

3

1

Germany

2

3

19

5

UnitedKingdom

3

8

25

2

China

4

29

1

21

Japan

5

20

1

3

Turkey

6

2

17

17

France

7

10

12

4

Spain

8

9

29

8

Canada

9

32

28

7

Malaysia

10

4

15

27

SouthKorea

11

41

10

11

4Combinationofdataontheimportandexportofplasticwaste,plasticwastepercapita,mismanagedplasticwaste,andavailableplasticcircularitypolicies.

5Combinationofdataonlightvehiclesales,passengercarsinuse,numberofimportedcars,andgrowthinpassengercars.

6Combinationofdataontheabsolutenumberofunitsoflargeappliancesandsmallappliancessold,e-wastepercapita,ande-wastelegislations.

7

Theplasticsusedintheautomotivesectorprimarilyconsistofdurableplastics(Box1),asopposedtothesingle-useplasticsmainlyusedinpackaging.Durableplasticwasteisgeneratedwhenaproductreachestheendofitsusablelife,oftenaftermonthsoryearsofuse.

Plasticsandcompositesmakeup50percentormoreofthevolumeofastandardautomobile.Theyrankasthethirdmostutilizedmaterialsbytotalcurbweight,accountingforapproximately10to14percentbasedonglobalbenchmarks.7Figure2providesanoverviewofthekeycomponentsofatypicalcarthataremanufacturedfromplastic.Globally,theusageofplasticintheautomotivesectorisprojectedtogrowbya4.7percentcompoundannualgrowthratebetween2020and2040.8Thegrowthcanbeattributedtoescalatingfuelefficiencystandardsandperformancerequirements,whichplasticcaneffectivelymeetwithitscomparativelylightweightanddurablecharacteristics.9Thisisespeciallytrueforelectricvehicles(EVs)whosebatteriesaremuchheavierthancombustionengines.Automakersmustincorporateplasticstooffsettheadditionalweight.

Figure2:Majorplasticcomponentsinatypicalcar

Seating

Sunroof

Instrumentpanel

Upholstery

Interiortrim

Glassinterlayer

Dashboard

Doorhandles

Underthehood

Body

Lighting

Wheel-house

radiatorsupport

FuelSystem

Bumperfascia

7AmericanChemistryCouncil.“PlasticsandPolymerCompositesinLightVehicles.”August,2019.

/wp-content/

uploads/2021/10/NHTSA-2021-0053-0011-American-Chemistry-Council-Plastics-and-Polymer-Composites-in-Light-Vehicles-2019-REV-Sm.pdf

8AmericanChemistryCouncil,2019

9Modi,ShashankandVadhavkar,Abhay.“TechnologyRoadmap:MaterialsandManufacturing.”CenterforAutomotiveResearch.2019.

https://

/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Technology-Roadmap_Materials-and-Manufacturing.pdf

8

Box1.

WHATAREDURABLEPLASTICS?

Durableplasticsaretypicallydesignedformonthsorevenyearsofusebeforereachingtheirendoflife.10Thiscontrastswithsingle-useplastics,whicharemeanttobeusedonceorforashortperiodbeforebeingdiscarded.Theprimarydistinctionbetweenthetwoplasticapplications,single-useanddurable,istheirintendeddurationornumberofuses.

Therelativelylonglifespanofdurableplasticsmakesthemsuitableforuseinlong-lifeapplicationsandconsumerproductslikeautomobiles.Thedisposaloftheseproductsattheendoftheirlifecanoccuryearsaftertheyweremanufactured.Durableplasticscanbeusedbyseveralownersandcanbemovedinterstateandinternationally.AutomobilesaretypicallynotdisposedofviaMunicipalSolidWaste11(MSW)streams,incontrastwithsingle-useplasticproducts.

Distincttypesofplasticsprevailwithineachplasticsclassification.Inthecaseofsingle-useplastics,polyethyleneterephthalate(PET),high-densitypolyethylene(HDPE),low-densitypolyethylene(LDPE),andPParethepredominantmaterials.Conversely,indurableplasticapplications,suchastheautomotivesector,PP,ABS,polyvinylchloride(PVC),andotherplastictypesaremorecommon.AnoverviewofthetypicaldistributionofplastictypesacrossvariousplasticclassificationsisinTable2.

10Inthisstudy,theaveragelifeexpectancyfordurableplasticsinvehiclesis12years.

11MSWisanysubstancediscardedwithintheareaofamunicipalwastecollection.ThesourcesofMSWarefromresidential,commercial,institutional,industrial,andcitycenters.

12OECD,2023,Plasticsusebypolymer-projections.

/10.1787/b9bae4d1-en

13Basedontheassessmentcarriedoutaspartofthisstudy.

14Includespolyurethane(PU),polyamine(PA),polyethylene(PE),polycarbonate(PC),andotherplastictypes.

15Thenumbersmaynotaddupto100percentduetorounding.

Table2:Differencesinplastictypesacrossend-useapplicationsectors

Plastictypes

Single-useplasticapplications

Durableplasticapplications

Packaging12Automotive13

(Focusofthisreport)

PET

18%

1%

HDPE

23%

-

PVC

3%

6%

LDPE

25%

-

PP

26%

25%

ABS

-

6%

OtherPlastics14

7%

62%

Total15

100%

100%

Source:OECD,2023

9

Ktpa

Figure3:Estimationofthedurableplasticwasteandtypefromtheautomotivesector,Malaysia,202316

105

94

90

5

17

60

12

45

30

15

0

TotalPPABSPUPA

23

75

TheestimateddurableplasticwastefromELVsin2023is94kilotonnesperannum(ktpa),consistingprimarilyofPP,ABS,PU,andPA(Figure3).Just20percentofthevolumeofplasticwastegeneratedbyMalaysia’sautomotivesectoriscollectedforrecycling,totalingapproximately18.8ktpa(Figure4).ThiscollectionrateislowcomparedtocountrieslikeGermany,whichhasanELVreuseandrecoveryrateof94percent,17highlightingMalaysia’sunderdevelopedplasticwastecollectionsystemforELVs.Theremaining80percentofthedurableplasticwastegeneratedisnotcollectedforrecyclingandissometimesillegallyburnedduetothelackofaformalELVcollectionsystem,mandatoryextendedproducerresponsibility(EPR),andenablingpolicies.

Approximately32percentofthecollectedplasticwastevolume(6ktpa)ismechanicallyrecycled.Duetolimitationsinprocessingthecollectedvolume,almostalloftheremainder,67percent(12.6kilotonnes),issenttolandfills.Malaysiaexports1percent(0.2kilotonnes)ofsortedplasticwaste.Withinthevolumesentformechanicalrecycling,95percent(5.7ktpa)istransformedintorecycledplasticresins,while5percent(0.3ktpa)islostduringtherecyclingprocess.

Intermsofoutput,70percent(4ktpa)oftherecycledplasticproducedisexportedduetothelackofdomesticend-usedemandforrecycledplasticandhigherpricesintheexportmarket.Theremaining30percent(1.7ktpa)fulfillsthedomesticdemandforrecycledplastics,primarilyfromoutsidetheautomotivesector.

Figure4

showsthevolumeandflowofdurableplasticfromtheautomotivesectorinMalaysiain2023.

ThelaunchoftheMalaysiaPlasticsSustainabilityRoadmap(MPSR)in2021demonstratesthecountry’scommitmenttodrivingplasticcircularityefforts.TheMPSRfocusesonreducingplasticwastefromallsectorsandhasthepotentialtodriveincreasedsupplyanddemandforrecycledplasticinMalaysia.

16CalculatedusinginformationfromEuromonitordatabase2023Industries–AutomotiveandMobility:NewPassengerCarRegistrations–Malaysia,basedonthesalesvolumein2011andtheaveragevehiclelifeexpectancyof12years.

17BMUKN.“StatisticsonEnd-of-LifeVehicles.”LastupdatedSeptember16,2024.

https://www.bundesumweltministerium.de/WS2226-1

10

Figure4:EstimatedvolumeandflowofdurableplasticfromtheautomotivesectorinMalaysia,2023

80%

Mismanagedplasticwaste-inappropriatedisposal1

Maximumpotentialsupply

94.0ktpa

20%2

Opportunitytoincreasecollectionrateviaregulatory,education,andpublic-privatepartnerships(targetof75%underMPSR)

Post-consumerplasticwastecollectionforrecycling

18.8ktpa

100%

1%

Exportsurplusof

post-consumer

67%

Post-consumerwastesorting

18.8ktpa

Land?ll

wasteforrecycling

Energyrecovery

0%

32%3

5%

Lostresidues

Post-consumerwastesent

formehnilcycling

95%4

Recyclatesfrom

post-consumerwasteusedinnewproducts

Opportunitytoscaleuplocalrecyclingcapacitytooftakecollectedplasticwaste(nospeci?ctargetunderMPSR)

70%

Surplusexportof

post-consumerrecyclates5

30%

5.7ktpa

0%

Manufacturerdemand

0.0ktpa6

useddomesticallyinotherindustries

Opportunitytoincreaselocaldemanddirectlyviaminimumrecycledcontenttargetregulationsorindirectlyviagreentaxincentivesfor

consumers(targetof15%underMPSR)

Notes:

1.Mismanagedwasteislostthroughvariousstreams,primarilyendingupinlandfillsortheenvironment.

2.The20percentplasticwastecollectionforrecyclingraterepresentsanaveragederivedfromtwoestimates:a30percentaveragerecyclingrateforPPestimatedbyTheWorldBankGroupinits2021MarketStudyforMalaysia18andan11percentrecyclingcapacityatauthorizedautomotivetreatmentfacilities,calculatedusingthefollowinginputs:(i)expectedELVvolumein2021of536,905(basedonthenumberofcarssoldin

2009);19(ii)anaverageannualcollectionrateatauthorizedautomotivetreatmentfacilities(AATFs)of7,560(derivedbasedonanaveragemonthlycollectionrateprovidedbytheDepartmentofEnvironment,Malaysia);20and(iii)eightAATFsinMalaysia.21The20percentratehasalsobeen

validatedthroughstakeholderconsultations.

3.A32percentmechanicalrecyclingrateisderivedbasedonSWCorp’s2021recyclingfigures.22

4.A95percentyieldisestimatedforthemechanicalrecyclingofmonomaterials,23asPPandABSarethemostrecycledplasticsintheautomotivesectorinMalaysia,andaremonomaterials.

5.70percentrecycledresinexportvolumeisderivedfromexpertinterviewsduetoalackofcentralizeddatasources.

6.Manufacturerdemandisnegligibleasthereisnoevidenceofcommercializedadoptionofrecycledplasticsamongoriginalequipmentmanufacturers(OEMs)inMalaysia.

18WorldBankGroup.2021.MarketStudyforMalaysia:PlasticsCircularityOpportunitiesandBarriers.MarinePlasticSeries,EastAsiaand

PacificRegion.Washington,DC.,

/curated/en/272471616512761862/pdf/Market-Study-for-Malaysia-Plastics

-Circularity-Opportunities-and-Barriers.pdf

19AutomotiveWorld,“Malaysia:Vehiclesalesdown2%in2009,”January20,2010,

/articles/80439-malaysia

-industry-volume-of-vehicles-down-2-in-2009/

20DepartmentofEnvironment,Malaysia,“ListofAuthorizedAutomotiveTreatmentFacilities(AATF),”accessedJune2025,

.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Senarai-AATF-Berlesen.pdf

21DepartmentofEnvironment,Malaysia,“LicensedAutomotiveTreatmentFacilityPilotProject(Aatf)RealizesSustainableVehicleDisposal

Methods,”March2,2021,

.my/en/2021/10/26/licensed-automotive-treatment-facility-aatf-pilot-project-realizes-disposal

-methods-licensed-automotive-treatment-facility-pilot-project-aatf-realizes-sustainable-vehicle-disposal-methods/

22NewStraitsTimes,“SWCorp:NationalRecyclingratenowat31.52pct,”13December2021,

https://www..my/news/

nation/2021/12/753941/swcorp-national-recycling-rate-now-3152-pct

23GeertWarringa,GeertBergsma,PascalBouwman,andMartijnBroeren.2023.ImpactsofAllocationRulesonChemicalRecycling:ConsequencesontheEnvironmentandMaximumCircularityofPlastics.CEDelft.

https://zerowasteeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CE_

Delft_230135_Impacts_of_allocation_rules_on_chemical_recycling_Def.pdf

11

ThedurableplasticvaluechainfortheautomotivesectorinMalaysiawasassessedaccordingtothevaluechainshowninFigure5.Thedurableplasticvaluechaininvolvesvariousactorsalongthedistribution/put-on-market,collection/sorting,andrecycling/EOLstages.

AutomotiveOEM

Cardealers

Figure5:ThedurableplasticrecyclingvaluechainforMalaysia’sautomotivesector

AuthorizedAutoTreatmentFacility

Otherindustrymaterialinput

Land?ll

OtherOEM

Consumer

Informalrecycler

Other

sectors

circular

economy

E&E–Home

appliances

sectorcircular

economy

Recycledresinsmanufacturer

Otherindustrywasteoutput

Virginplasticsmanufacturer

Automotiveplasticspartsmanufacturer

Distribution/putonmarket

Collection/sorting

Recycling/end-of-life

Consumer

12

TheautomotivesectorinMalaysiadoesnothavededicatedlargesector-specificrecyclersduetothelackofformalcollectionsystems,weakdemandforrecycledplastic,geographicallydispersedrecyclingfacilities,andalackofenablingpolicies,suchasmandatoryEPR.Thestudy’skeyfindingsinclude:

1.Theautomotivesectorgenerated94kilotonnesofdurableplasticwastein2023,consistingprimarilyofPP,ABS,PU,andPA(Figure3).Theseplasticsmakeupapproximately60percentoftheplasticwastevolumegeneratedfromtheautomotivesector.PPandABSarehighlyrecyclable,withpotentialcollectionvolumesof23ktpaandfivektpa,respectively,amongthehighestintermsofcollectionpotential.Automotiveplasticconsumptionisexpectedtoincreaseinthecomingyears,especiallywiththegrowthofEVs.

2.WithnoformalELVcollectionsystem,thereisahighlossofplasticwasteduringcollection.Thelossofplasticwastealongtheautomotivedurableplasticrecyclingvaluechainmainlyoccursatthecollectionstage,withanaverageofjust20percentcollected(Figure4).Theplasticwastethatisnotcollectedtendstoendupinlandfills,illegallyburned,orasmismanagedplasticwaste.

3.Lowdemandforrecycledplastichampersdomesticvaluechaindevelopment.WhileglobaldemandforrecycledplasticbyOEMsisexpectedtoincreaseasmorecountriesintroduceEPRfortheautomotivesector,24thisisnotthecaseintheMalaysiandomesticmarket.Thesluggishgrowthindurableplasticrecyclingcanbeattributedtothelowdemandforrecycledplasticsfromautomotivemanufacturersandpartsmanufacturers.Asaresult,otherplayershavelittleincentivetoprioritizerecyclingdurableplasticwithinthesector.

4.Informalrecyclersdominateduetothehighentrybarriersforformalrecyclers.Informalrecyclersaremoreprevalentalongthevaluechainprimarilybecauseformalrecyclersaresubjecttostringentrequirementsonfullrecovery(theextractionandprocessingofallmaterialsfromvehiclewaste,includingpreciousmetals,rareearthelements,andplastics)andlengthyapprovalprocessesforoperatingpermits.Informalrecyclersprioritizehigh-valuematerials,especiallymetals,whileplasticwasteisoftendiscardedorsenttolandfills.

24TheimplementationofEPRfortheautomotiveandhomeappliancessectorscanpotentiallyincreasetheplasticrecyclingrateasobservedinothercountries.Forexample,GermanyimplementedanEPRsystemfortheautomotivesectormanagedbythejointofficeforELVs-

GemeinsameStelleAltfahrzeuge(GESA).GESAisresponsibleformanagingthecountry’sELVrecoveryandrecyclingflow(includingplasticrecycling).UndertheEPRsystem,manufacturersareresponsibleforfinancingtherecyclingprocessforELVs.Toreducethecostofdoingso,manufacturerscollaboratetoensureELVsarecollectedandthattheprocessofextractingrecycledmaterialsisoptimized,includingforplastics.

13

3.Challengesfordurableplasticrecyclingintheautomotivesector

Limiteddurableplasticwastesupplyfromtheautomotivesector

Thestudyindicatesthatthemaximumpotentialvolumethatcanbecollectedfromtheautomotivesectorcannotsupportmorethanoneortwosector-specificandplastic-specificrecyclingplants.Thisisbecausemechanicalrecyclingplants,whichcanbenefitfromeconomiesofscale,requireaminimumcapacityofapproximately30ktpa25tobecommerciallyviable.

Theinadequatesupplyofautomotiveplasticwasteemphasizestheneedforcross-sectorplasticrecyclingefforts,suchasopen-looprecycling.Furtherareasalongtheplasticrecyclingvaluechainmustbeconsideredtoenablecross-sectorrecycling,especiallyinthenon-packagingsectors.Forinstance,standardizedplasticspecificationsthatareincorporatedintoproductdesignarerequiredforrecyclingacrosssectors.Thenextstepistoconsideranintegratedcollectionandsortinginfrastructureforplasticsfromallsectors.Finally,scalingupchemicalrecyclingwillopenopportunitiesinotherhard-to-recycleplasticsacrosssectors.

WeakcollectionsystemforELVs

Thehighlossinplasticwaste(estimatedat80percent)fromtheautomotivesectorispartlycausedbythelackofaformalcollectionsystem,asthereisnocentralagencytomonitoranddriveELVcollection.Thisinsufficientsupplyofcollectedplasticwastehindersrecyclersfromspecializingexclusivelyinautomotiveplasticwaste,asdemonstratedbytheabsenceofsector-specificrecyclers.

Severalcountrieshaveimplementedrecyclingrequirementsthatarebothindustryandconsumer-focusedtodrivecollectiona