Toxic chemicals and hazardous waste management in Malaysia - a need for comprehensive policy and legislation

Abstract

Today, we live essentially in a highly chemicalized, plastic and syn- thetic environment. Each year, the global production of chemical substances continues to increase at a rapid rate. Hundreds of new substances are introduced into commercial use every year, with new products incorporating the latest "wonder" substances from the labo- ratory. Yet, only a tiny fraction of these chemicals have been tested for their long-term effects on humans and the environment. The products of the chemical industry are everywhere in our modern society: in the air we breathe, in our water, in our food and in the things we handle. Such chemicals take various forms: plastics, textiles, con- struction materials, paints, adhesive, fertilisers, pesticides, food preser- vatives, cleaning agents and motor-fuel additives, to name a few.