Malaysia discards a staggering amount of food waste every day, according to Malay Mail.
Here's what to know
Malay Mail reported that in Parliament on Oct. 5, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said food makes up nearly 40% of Malaysia's daily solid waste total of 44,092 tons (40,000 metric tonnes).
Based on that share, about 17,600 tons (16,000 metric tonnes) of food is being thrown away each day, even as officials try to send less waste to landfills and boost recycling rates.
The issue was raised during a Dewan Rakyat question-and-answer session after Parliament member Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi asked for the latest update on reducing landfill-bound waste and improving recycling, and Nga said the amount of food being discarded requires action from businesses and consumers.
"This is a form of waste. Food waste is not a crime, but it is a sin. It is a grave sin when edible food is simply thrown away," Nga said.
He said the ministry expects Malaysia's recycling rate to rise above 40% by the end of 2026.
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Nga also said local authorities cannot solve the problem on their own, describing a "whole-of-nation approach" in which households and companies change their habits and mindset.
More background
The parliamentary exchange focused on progress in cutting the volume of waste sent to landfills, with food waste discussed as part of the country's broader waste-management challenge.
For example, Malay Mail reported that Nga said a recycling contest involving 1,680 schools collected 10.9 million pounds (4.95 million kilograms) of recyclables and generated RM2.98 million (over $700,000) in sales.
He also said recyclable collections from 2018 through 2025 totaled nearly 44.1 million pounds (20 million kilograms) and brought in more than RM10.22 million (about $2.5 million).
What's being done?
From January through August 2026, Nga said, the ministry's "Trash to Cash" recycling program collected more than 17.3 million pounds (7.86 million kilograms) of recyclables, with sales topping RM2.85 million (just under $700,000), according to Malay Mail.
During that same January-to-August 2026 period, he said the zero-waste community initiative ran through 17 active centers, which collected more than 245,824 pounds (111,504 kilograms) of recyclables.
Where can I learn more?
Food waste is a global challenge, and these stories look at how governments, companies, and households are responding.
• South Korea's food waste recycling program has reshaped how households discard scraps nationwide.
• In the United States, homes are the biggest contributor to the nation's food waste problem.
• Sainsbury's is turning unsold food into truck fuel as it pushes circular deliveries.
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