Kuala Lumpur:A total of 13,743.15 tonnes of vehicle battery waste, categorized under the scheduled waste code SW103, were generated across the country from 2021 to 2025, as reported by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the ministry clarified that this figure includes all battery waste under SW103 and is not solely related to electric vehicle (EV) batteries. EV batteries are regulated as scheduled waste under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005, specifically under code SW103.

As of March 4, 2026, seven off-site recovery facilities dealing with SW103 scheduled waste are operational in Kedah, Selangor, Johor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and Penang. These facilities aid in the recovery of valuable materials from used batteries, such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt.

The ministry's response came as an answer to Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (PN-Merbok), who inquired about the disposal or recycling of EV batteries from 2021 to 2026, and whether the government plans to implement the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle. This principle would require EV manufacturers and importers to take back batteries and cover disposal costs at the end of their service life.

NRES indicated that a direction for implementing EPR has been outlined through the Circular Economy Policy Framework for the Malaysian Manufacturing Sector, led by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). The framework aims to expand manufacturers' responsibilities for managing products at the end of their life cycle, including collection, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling.

However, a mandatory EPR mechanism for EV manufacturers and importers to take back batteries and bear management costs has not yet been established. The ministry noted that further research is needed on legal requirements, obligations of manufacturers and importers, funding mechanisms, and policy coordination between NRES and MITI.