Basel Convention and origin eligibility

Which origins qualify

Shipments must originate in a country that has ratified the Basel Convention, or in a country with a bilateral, multilateral or regional agreement with Malaysia covering plastic waste.

Japan, Korea, Australia and EU member states are parties. The United States is not, which removes it from the list regardless of material quality.

Why the US is excluded

This is a treaty status question, not a trade policy decision by Malaysia. The US signed but never ratified the Basel Convention, so it cannot issue the movement documentation the convention requires, and Malaysia treats that as disqualifying.

Offers of large volumes of US-origin plastic waste into Port Klang should be treated with suspicion: either the origin is being misdeclared, or the seller has not checked the rule.

Documentation in practice

For material that qualifies, the paperwork usually includes:

• Movement document or notification consistent with Basel requirements, where applicable.
• Pre-shipment inspection report from a SIRIM-approved body or MRF.
• SIRIM Certificate of Approval issued to the Malaysian importer.
• Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading matching the declared resin and weight.

EU exports are closing anyway

Separately from Basel, the EU has legislated a ban on exports of non-hazardous plastic waste to non-OECD countries, taking effect from 2026. Malaysia is not an OECD member, so EU-origin material is leaving the market for a second, independent reason.

For Malaysian buyers this means supply shifts toward Japan, Korea, Australia and intra-ASEAN flows — and prices for those origins firm up accordingly.