Our project

The PPiPL Pilot Project Malaysia aims to support post-consumer packaging organisations by exploring consumer attitudes toward plastic waste and identifying key drivers, barriers, and opportunities for sustainable alternatives—such as reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging. The project also examines effective recycling strategies and investment opportunities in material recapture.

Conducted in Selangor, Malaysia, the research was a collaboration between Lancaster University, UK, and Sunway University, Malaysia. The team investigated major challenges in plastic waste reduction from both consumer and waste management stakeholder perspectives.

Over twelve months, the project provided critical insights to initiate discussions among waste management stakeholders and policymakers, helping to bridge the gap between consumer attitudes and behaviours in plastic packaging reduction.

The research was funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund and Newton Consolidation Accounts Lancaster University (EP_X527907_1_EP_X528365_1) through Lancaster University’s Future Cities Research Institute. This project builds on the UKRI Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund in Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging—"Plastic Packaging in People's Lives" (PPiPL, NE/V010611/1).

The problem of plastic packaging in Malaysia

Plastic waste in Malaysia represents sever threats to the environment, public health, and socio-economic stability. Generating more than one million metric tonnes of plastic per year, nearly one fourth of these is being improperly mismanaged. High consumption of single-use plastics (especially plastic packaging), inadequate waste management system and the import of plastics from other countries, reaching critical level after 2018 China plastic import ban, exacerbate the issue.

Driven by user-convenience, cost-effectiveness and economic growth, single-use plastic packaging represents the largest segment of Malaysia’s plastic market. However, due to poor material quality, low collection rates, contamination and inefficient recycling infrastructure, approximately 81% of the material value is lost for four of the main plastic types consumed in Malaysia (PET, LDPE, HDPE, PP).

Despite the government’s effort to tackle plastic pollution and introducing various initiatives like the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030, Malaysia has witnessed remarkable growth in plastic production. To mitigate the plastic waste issues in Malaysia, balance between economic benefits and environmental protection, as well as collaborative approaches are essential. Public awareness and clear understanding on the importance of plastic reduction as well as improvement of recycling at source together with sufficient infrastructure, technological innovation, sophisticated logistics, and incorporating all waste collecting actors into the discussion are vital.

Our collaborative approach

Addressing global challenges such as plastic pollution and advocating for a sustainable mindset, the PPiPL Pilot Project Malaysia leverages an interdisciplinary research team, bringing together experts from diverse fields (including Marketing, Organisational Studies, Waste Studies, Management Science, and Chemistry). In collaboration with eight waste industry partners, the project offers valuable insights into practical solutions.

By combining academic research with households and the waste industry, and expertise from these stakeholders too, this collaborative approach enables a comprehensive study of key challenges, barriers, and opportunities in mitigating plastic packaging issues from multiple perspectives.

Our methodological approach

The pilot project applied diverse methodologies to identify challenges and opportunities from both household and waste management perspectives while gathering insights to drive meaningful change toward sustainable packaging practices. These methodologies included:

• Literature review
• Household ethnographic study
• In-depth interviews with industry experts, representatives, and formal and informal waste workers
• Site visits to formal and informal waste management organisations, recycling centres, and both sanitary and illegal landfills

This project aimed to map the landscape of plastic packaging, examine the roles and importance of various waste stakeholders in Malaysia, and explore consumer perspectives and practices across urban and rural areas in Selangor. Additionally, it sought to recommend actionable strategies for reducing plastic usage in alignment with recent policy developments.

Future research should focus on supporting behavioural shifts to reduce plastic packaging consumption, enhance recycling practices, and map circular material and social flows to support high-quality material recapture. Improved monitoring of material flow is also crucial to strengthen data collection, transparency, and inclusivity in waste management.

Key insights, learnings and recommendations can be found on our resources page.

PPiPL resources