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| Mr. Douglas Woodring, Founder of the Plasticity Forum |
The issue will be one of the key
topics at the Plasticity Forum KL 2026, scheduled to take place in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 16–17. The forum will bring together
manufacturers, global brands, recyclers, policymakers, investors, and
innovators to discuss practical solutions to the changing plastics landscape.
Supplies of post-consumer recycled
(PCR) plastic in Southeast Asia have come under increasing pressure after
Thailand and Indonesia halted plastic waste imports in January 2025. Malaysia
has also tightened its plastic waste import rules and, since April 2026, has
banned e-waste imports.
At the same time, demand for
recycled materials is rising as export markets introduce stricter environmental
requirements. Under EU vehicle rules, new vehicle models must contain at least
15 percent recycled plastic from 2032, rising to 25 percent from 2036. EU
packaging rules will also introduce minimum recycled-content requirements from
2030.
Plasticity Forum Founder Douglas
Woodring said the changes signal the end of the old model of sending waste to
countries where processing costs are lowest.
“The old model of shipping waste to
wherever it is cheapest to process is ending, while regulations are changing
faster than many businesses have planned for,” Woodring said.
He stressed that companies need to
start building compliant and resilient supply chains now. Without a stable
supply of recycled materials that meets market requirements, manufacturers
could face growing challenges in maintaining access to tightly regulated export
markets.
Plasticity Forum KL 2026 will explore
issues ranging from Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), investment and
consumer demand to the UN Plastics Treaty. Sector-focused sessions will also
address electronics, automotive, and food-grade plastics.
Woodring said Southeast Asia is at
a critical point in this transition, with an opportunity to build higher-value
and more resilient circular material systems rather than simply react to
changing regulations.
Launched at the Rio+20 Earth Summit
in 2012, the Plasticity Forum has since been held in 13 cities around the
world. Kuala Lumpur will host the forum again after previously welcoming the
event in 2018.
The 2026 forum is expected to go
beyond discussion and generate practical ideas that businesses, regulators,
investors, global brands, and other stakeholders can take forward to strengthen
the region’s circular plastics economy.
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