Key Takeaways
- Mindset Shift and Partnership: Sustainability begins with empathy and collaboration—waste should be seen as a “mirror of our disconnection from nature” and a “bridge to new industry.”
- Industrial Waste Recycling for Circularity: Amita Holdings demonstrated how industrial waste can achieve 100% recyclability through technology that converts waste into alternative raw materials and fuels, helping reduce CO₂ emissions.
- Integrated Waste Management Technology: J&T Naza Alam Murni presented Malaysia’s integrated Schedule Waste to Energy system, capturing heat for reuse and reducing moisture in industrial sludge.
- Upcycling and Social Empowerment: sareeUP showcased how creative upcycling of discarded textiles can promote responsible consumption and provide decent work opportunities for marginalized women.
- Innovation in Material Science: Conture Concrete Lab illustrated how difficult waste streams—such as multi-layer plastics and cigarette butts—can be turned into high-value concrete with distinct textures through research and design.
- Education and Enforcement: The discussion highlighted the need for public awareness and policy enforcement, starting with youth education and stricter measures against illegal waste disposal.
- Collaboration and Integrity: True circularity requires cooperation and integrity—ensuring that sustainability efforts go beyond marketing to achieve meaningful, science-based impact.
The ASEAN-Japan Centre hosted an official dialogue titled “Sustainable Value Creation from Waste” during the Malaysia–Japan Environment Week 2025 last October 17, 2025, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). Co-organized with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), the session gathered experts and companies from Japan, Malaysia, and across ASEAN to share solutions and perspectives on recycling, circular business models, and sustainable innovation.
Secretary General Dr. Kunihiko HIRABAYASHI opened the session by emphasizing that the journey toward sustainability is a “heart-to-heart partnership” rooted in empathy and imagination. He reminded participants that waste should not be seen as an endpoint but as “a bridge to new industry.”
The dialogue was facilitated by Mr. S. Jai Shankar, Senior Director at MATRADE, who aptly remarked that “waste is not a problem—it’s a resource waiting to be imagined.” He emphasized that effective solutions require both strong commercial rationale and the right technology, alongside a genuine commitment to environmental and social goals.
The interactive session also featured key presentations from:
- Mr. Hiroshi MEKARU (Amita Holdings Co. Ltd., Japan) focused on industrial waste recycling, using blending technology to convert challenging scheduled waste into Alternative Raw Materials (ARM) or Alternative Fuel (AF) for cement production, guaranteeing 100% recyclability and contributing to CO₂ reduction.
- Ms. Mashraf Faiz Binti Mazlan (J&T Naza Alam Murni Sdn Bhd, Malaysia) – showcased an integrated waste management facility with a Schedule Waste to Energy (SWTE) system, emphasizing collaboration, resource efficiency, and circular flows, and calling on waste generators to reduce hazardous constituents.
- Ms. Padmani Suppiah (Founder, sareeUP, Malaysia) demonstrated textile upcycling, creating functional products from discarded saris while promoting social empowerment, responsible consumption, and the need for education and enforcement.
- Mr. Febryan Tricahyo (Founder and Principal, Conture Concrete Lab, Indonesia), recipient of the Indonesia Good Design and Japan Good Design awards in 2023 and 2024, illustrated material innovation, transforming industrial and household waste, including plastics, masks, and cigarette butts, into high-value concrete products, stressing ethical lab-tested processes and avoiding gimmicky sustainability.
The presentations were followed by a lively panel discussion and Q&A, where participants exchanged ideas on how ASEAN and Japan can work together to unlock economic, social, and environmental value from waste. Mr. Hiroshi MEKARU emphasized that “our mission is to achieve a sustainable society,” while also noting that Japan’s strict recycling standards “will come to Malaysia and other ASEAN countries—it’s just a matter of time.” Moreover, Ms. Mashraf Faiz Binti Mazlan highlighted responsible waste management and the need for forward-looking approaches, stating that sustainable practices should come from our own initiative and commitment to doing what is right for the environment. “We should define ourselves… Earth is something we’ve only borrowed—it’s for our future generations.” She further encouraged businesses to innovate and evolve toward circular economy solutions without being constrained by external expectations.
Ms. Padmani Suppiah stressed that “commercial viability is the engine to move sustainability ahead,” warning that relying too heavily on upcycling to “close the loop” ignores the fundamental problem of overconsumption. “Overconsumption is a major issue—we need enforcement.” Furthermore, Mr. Febryan Tricahyo noted that “modern problems require modern solutions” and that “sustainability should not be just a marketing gimmick, but a reflection of integrity in design and research.”
In addition to the dialogue, the Centre maintained an exhibition booth from 15–17 October, where participants learned more about Centre’s ongoing initiatives promoting sustainability, innovation, and inclusive growth across ASEAN and Japan. H.O. Mr. Fumiaki KOBAYASHI, State Minister of the Environment, Japan, and YBhg. Datuk Dr. Ching Thoo a/l Kim, Secretary General, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability also visited the booth.
Moving forward, the Centre will follow-up the result and takeaways from the interactive session to continuously ensure the sustainable collaboration between ASEAN and Japan to achieve meaningful, science-based impact.
