Policy synergies and opportunities for advancing plastics circularity and sustainability in Malaysia

Plastic pollution is a global challenge that disproportionately affects countries where rapid growth in plastic consumption outpaces regulatory and waste-management capacities. Malaysia exemplifies this complexity as both a major plastic producer and a primary destination for imported plastic waste, while concurrently struggling with high levels of domestic plastic mismanagement. Between 2018 and 2021, the Malaysian government introduced three plastics-specific policy frameworks to address unsustainable plastic consumption and promote circularity: Malaysia's Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics (2018–2030), the National Marine Litter Policy and Action Plan (2021–2030), and the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap (2021–2030). However, despite their shared objectives, the extent to which these policies are coherent and mutually reinforcing remains unexamined. To address this gap, this study evaluates the policy coherence of these frameworks using a qualitative document analysis approach. The assessment focuses on six core thematic areas: plastic-use fees and taxation, single-use plastic (SUP) bans, alternative materials (including biodegradable and compostable plastics), recycling, extended producer responsibility (EPR), and plastic waste segregation. The study further identifies critical policy gaps and highlights opportunities for advancing a circular plastics economy. The analysis reveals definitional ambiguities, particularly in relation to SUPs. Current policy emphasis on substituting conventional plastics with single-use bioplastics risks entrenching unsustainable consumption patterns rather than addressing the underlying drivers of SUP pollution. Notably, none of the policies propose explicit long-term caps for conventional plastic production, undermining a vision for transformative plastic sustainability. Stronger policy coherence, strategic sequencing of interventions, and improved integration with sectoral planning are therefore required in the domains of EPR, plastic waste segregation, and SUP elimination.