GAP for EPR | Recognising and Integrating Malaysia’s Informal Recycling Sector

Malaysia’s post-consumer packaging ecosystem relies heavily on a diverse informal sector that performs the majority of early-stage collection, sorting, and aggregation. As the country progresses toward a mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, it becomes essential to understand how informal actors can be meaningfully segmented, their socio-economic characteristics, and their specific roles within the value chain. This presentation shares emerging findings on the structure and functions of informal collectors in Malaysia and outline initial strategic considerations for integrating them into the country’s nascent EPR legislation. The session provides a general overview designed to support future discussion on how social inclusion can strengthen the effectiveness and fairness of EPR implementation. Our Webinar Series on Cooperation with the Informal Sector 🌱 Between January and April 2026, the GAP for EPR is hosting a multi-part series on “Cooperation with the Informal Sector - Key Pillar to Successful EPR Implementation”! The series will explore challenges, best practices, and solutions for integrating informal actors across different material streams and geographical contexts, providing participants with actionable insights for designing more inclusive and effective EPR frameworks. The views and opinions expressed in this webinar do not necessarily reflect the positions of the core partners of GAP for EPR, nor of PREVENT Waste Alliance members or official policy positions of the international organisations and governments involved.