Recent Raids Reveal a Surge in the Shipment of Illegal E-Waste to Malaysia

The Basel Action Network (BAN) is raising alarms about a new surge in illegal e-waste shipments to Malaysia. BAN’s investigations have uncovered a route of electronic waste originating from various parts of the United States, predominantly exiting through the port of Los Angeles on container ships destined for Malaysia. The rise in the shipment of e-waste to Malaysia seems to be a result of the shutdown of illegal e-waste exports to mainland China and Hong Kong – and so Southeast Asia, namely Malaysia, has become the target country for illegal e-waste traders.

In light of recent raids in Malaysia that resulted in the closure of several illicit e-waste dismantling facilities, BAN has alerted Malaysian authorities about specific incoming shipments.

The Raids

Earlier this year, a raid was done on February 21 at a covert factory in Sungai Linggi, Seremban, revealed 200 tonnes of e-waste, presumably imported from the US and China. This operation, run by Chinese nationals, employed roughly 60 foreigners believed to be in Malaysia illegally.

On March 19 2024, close to Port Klang, authorities raided an illegal e-waste dismantling site after public complaints. This raid resulted in the finding of about USD105,000 in cash and the arrest of 48 individuals, including the operation’s director and owner. Many of the workers, primarily from Myanmar, were suspected illegal immigrants, with some being underage.

One of the most recent incidents took place on March 21 in Petaling Jaya, where a large e-waste processing factory was discovered hidden within an oil palm estate, remote and secluded, spanning the area of five football fields. This site, in operation for five years, led to the arrest of 50 people and the seizure of significant quantities of electronic waste. The workers, hailing from Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, and Nepal, were suspected to be in the country illegally.

The Global Rise in E-Waste Production

The recent release of the Global e-Waste Monitor 2024 highlights the escalating crisis, with the world generating around 62 million metric tonnes of e-waste in 2022—enough to fill over 1.5 million large trucks, enough to circle the equator if placed end to end.

Importing these hazardous electronic waste from developed countries like the US into Malaysia is illegal. The best way to hinder this is by prolonging the lifecycle of our electronic equipment. Collaborating with businesses that specialise in refurbishing and reusing old electronic equipment is the best way to go about this. And once these equipment reach end of life, they should be processed and disposed of safely – this should be done by choosing a certified vendor that can help handle the entirety of the disposal cycle. This includes the collection of these equipment from your premise to the final stages of recycling.

At SPW, we are committed to minimising e-waste as much as possible. We promote the reuse and refurbishment of IT assets, extending their lifecycle and reducing the demand for new resources. And when it comes to end-of-life assets, our ISO-certified downstream partners ensure that they’re disposed of safely.