“Since 2018, I have been deeply concerned about the rise of the plastic waste problem in our country,” ECK’s managing director Khor Eng Chuen told FMT.
“This project is the result of years of collaboration with the authorities, and we are proud to be moving forward with it now.”
Khor said his company, which develops residential homes, is looking to centralise the nation’s recycling sector at the proposed new facility.
Park, which is expected to be completed next year. (ECK pic).
The Seri Iskandar Integrated Recycling Technology Park will span 3,168 acres, transforming a greenfield site into a recycling and waste management hub with a specific focus on electronic waste and unwanted plastics.
“We are both the developer and manager of this park,” said Khor, adding that the site will house between 700 and 1,000 modules for recycling operators.
“More than 100 companies have already shown interest in setting up operations here.”
Khor expressed concern over the amount of plastic and electronic waste coming into the country from developed nations. He said Malaysia was also becoming a destination of choice for illicit e-waste smuggling.
“We don’t want to be the world’s rubbish bin,” he said. “What we are doing with the park is giving waste a new life.”
Khor said the park will help the government fulfil its obligations under the Basel Convention, an international treaty which sets out to minimise the generation of hazardous waste, control its transboundary movement, and ensure it is managed in an environmentally sound manner.
Strategic location
Located in Seri Iskandar, near the Lumut Port in Perak, and accessible via the West Coast Expressway, the project is expected to create at least 100,000 jobs, said Khor.
The park will adopt sustainable practices such as solar-power and water reclamation systems. A 3.2km dual carriageway will be built to connect the site to the nearby Seri Iskandar Hospital.
“We are bringing all recycling operators under one roof, where they will be under the watchful eyes of the authorities,” he said, adding that irregularities and non-compliance issues “will become a thing of the past”.
Khor said the project is part of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority’s (MIDA) broader strategy to resolve the country’s long-term waste management challenges.
In addition to recycling e-waste and plastics, the park will feature facilities that will enable the recovery of valuable materials and hazardous components, reducing reliance on raw materials and contributing towards sustainable resource management.
ECK is also exploring the possibility of constructing a waste-to-energy plant within the park. The initiative, which is pending regulatory approval, is expected to draw significant interest from both local and international operators.