**2.1 Environmental management in Malaysian rubber industry**

As one of the Malaysian industries that contribute significantly to the economic development of the country, the Malaysian rubber industry also generated a significant amount of waste [7]. These wastes are subjected to various regulations under the Malaysian Environmental Quality Act 1974. The open burning of rubber plantation wastes in the form of rubber tree stumps after land clearing are governed under the Environmental Quality (clean air) Regulations 1978 Part III (burning of wastes). The practice of open burning is only allowed for specific cases after obtaining special permission from Department of Environment Malaysia (DOE) [8].

The Malaysian government also gazettes the Environmental Quality (prescribed premises) of Raw Natural Rubber Regulations (1978) in making sure that all the raw effluents from the raw rubber processing activities in Malaysia are treated and meet the legal discharge standard before they are allowed to be discharged into the watercourse. The rubber products manufacturing factories in Malaysia are subjected to Environmental Quality (sewage and industrial wastes) Regulations (1979) and Environmental Quality (scheduled waste) Regulations (1989) [9].

#### **2.2 Climate change and Malaysia greenhouse gases emission**

Climate is an integral part of environment and climate change in more ways than one is a measure of abuse and mismanagement of this environment through time [10]. According to [11], human influence on the climate change is clear and the more we disrupt our climate, the more we risk severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts on human and natural system.

Malaysia has developed two policies which are The National Policy on Climate Change and the National Green Technology Policy to collectively guide the nation towards addressing climate change holistically, ensuring climate-resilient development, developing a low carbon economy and promoting green technologies [12]. Moreover, low carbon economy is one of the key initiatives proposed by the Malaysian government in the fight against the issue of global warming and climate change [13].

On 13 July 1994, Malaysia has ratified the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto Protocol on 4 September 2002 [14]. As part of the obligations under Article 4 of the UNFCCC, the Government of Malaysia submitted its Initial National Communication in July 2000 and the Second

**185**

*Source: [16].*

**Table 1.**

*Environmental Impact Evaluation of Rubber Cultivation and Industry in Malaysia*

**2.3 Life cycle analysis (LCA) study for Malaysian rubber industry**

National Communication was submitted in January 2011 [15, 10]. Malaysia greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission for the year 2011 was 290.230 million tons CO2eq and the removal was 262.946 million tons CO2eq with a net sink of 27.284 million tons

Malaysia emissions per gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2000 were 0.62 t CO2eq/thousand RM [12]. Malaysia's commitment to address the GHGs emission in the context of sustainable development was announced by the Prime Minister during the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UNFCCC on 17th December 2009 [15, 16]. At the COP 15, the Prime Minister had announced Malaysia's voluntary reduction which was up to 40% in terms of carbon emission intensity of GDP by the year 2020 compared to year 2005 conditional on receiving the transfer of technology and finance support from developed

Life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology is relatively a new approach in Malaysia. Majority of the LCA studies in Malaysia at present are conducted to highlight the environmental sustainability of the oil palm industry. The LCA studies on the oil palm industry in Malaysia covered all the sectors within the industry starting from the planting material production up to the biodiesel and other oil palm based

All the LCA studies from the oil palm industry in Malaysia have one common objective which is to dispel the misinterpretation of the oil palm industry as a very

Life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology is the most relevant environmental management tool to measure the environmental impact and quantify the greenhouse gas emission from the Malaysian rubber industry. The LCA study conducted for the Malaysian rubber industry will definitely be a very useful source to identify the environmental hotspots in the Malaysian rubber industry and help in solving solutions to diminish these hotspots for the betterment of the

Based on the findings of the LCA study from the Malaysian rubber industry, certain recommendations, policy or standard operating procedures may be introduced by Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB). The findings from the LCA study for Malaysian rubber industry will also be very beneficial for decision makers across the whole

**Sector Emissions (million tons CO2eq) Sink (million tons CO2eq)**

Total 290.230 −262.946

2.490 −262.946

unsustainable industry by international non-governmental organization.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.84420*

CO2eq (**Table 1**).

countries [15].

products.

Malaysian rubber industry.

Land use, land-use change and

*Malaysia GHGs inventory for 2011.*

forestry (LULUCF)

chain of the Malaysian rubber industry.

Energy 218.914 Industrial processes 18.166 Agriculture 15.775

Waste 34.885

Net total (after subtracting sink) −27.284

*Environmental Impact Evaluation of Rubber Cultivation and Industry in Malaysia DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.84420*

National Communication was submitted in January 2011 [15, 10]. Malaysia greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission for the year 2011 was 290.230 million tons CO2eq and the removal was 262.946 million tons CO2eq with a net sink of 27.284 million tons CO2eq (**Table 1**).

Malaysia emissions per gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2000 were 0.62 t CO2eq/thousand RM [12]. Malaysia's commitment to address the GHGs emission in the context of sustainable development was announced by the Prime Minister during the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UNFCCC on 17th December 2009 [15, 16]. At the COP 15, the Prime Minister had announced Malaysia's voluntary reduction which was up to 40% in terms of carbon emission intensity of GDP by the year 2020 compared to year 2005 conditional on receiving the transfer of technology and finance support from developed countries [15].

#### **2.3 Life cycle analysis (LCA) study for Malaysian rubber industry**

Life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology is relatively a new approach in Malaysia. Majority of the LCA studies in Malaysia at present are conducted to highlight the environmental sustainability of the oil palm industry. The LCA studies on the oil palm industry in Malaysia covered all the sectors within the industry starting from the planting material production up to the biodiesel and other oil palm based products.

All the LCA studies from the oil palm industry in Malaysia have one common objective which is to dispel the misinterpretation of the oil palm industry as a very unsustainable industry by international non-governmental organization.

Life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology is the most relevant environmental management tool to measure the environmental impact and quantify the greenhouse gas emission from the Malaysian rubber industry. The LCA study conducted for the Malaysian rubber industry will definitely be a very useful source to identify the environmental hotspots in the Malaysian rubber industry and help in solving solutions to diminish these hotspots for the betterment of the Malaysian rubber industry.

Based on the findings of the LCA study from the Malaysian rubber industry, certain recommendations, policy or standard operating procedures may be introduced by Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB). The findings from the LCA study for Malaysian rubber industry will also be very beneficial for decision makers across the whole chain of the Malaysian rubber industry.


#### **Table 1.**

*Malaysia GHGs inventory for 2011.*

*Climate Change and Agriculture*

**2. Literature review**

from natural forest [6].

Malaysia (DOE) [8].

Economic Area (NKEA) [4]. Malaysia National Key Economic Area (NKEA) is an important driver of economic activities that has a potential to directly contribute to Malaysian Economic Growth measurable by Gross National Income (GNI) indicator

Malaysian rubber industry has always been regarded as an environmentally sustainable industry. Rubber trees play an important role as a carbon dioxide sequester from the atmosphere at a rate comparable to if not better than the natural forest [5]. After the process of falling down, rubber trees are converted into renewable rubber wood for furniture based industry. The term renewable or environmentally friendly associated with the rubber wood arises from the fact that the rubber wood represents a relatively sustainable alternative as compared to the tropical woods extracted

As one of the Malaysian industries that contribute significantly to the economic

The Malaysian government also gazettes the Environmental Quality (prescribed premises) of Raw Natural Rubber Regulations (1978) in making sure that all the raw effluents from the raw rubber processing activities in Malaysia are treated and meet the legal discharge standard before they are allowed to be discharged into the watercourse. The rubber products manufacturing factories in Malaysia are subjected to Environmental Quality (sewage and industrial wastes) Regulations (1979)

Climate is an integral part of environment and climate change in more ways than one is a measure of abuse and mismanagement of this environment through time [10]. According to [11], human influence on the climate change is clear and the more we disrupt our climate, the more we risk severe, pervasive and irreversible

Malaysia has developed two policies which are The National Policy on Climate Change and the National Green Technology Policy to collectively guide the nation towards addressing climate change holistically, ensuring climate-resilient development, developing a low carbon economy and promoting green technologies [12]. Moreover, low carbon economy is one of the key initiatives proposed by the Malaysian government in the fight against the issue of global warming and climate change [13]. On 13 July 1994, Malaysia has ratified the United Nation Framework Convention

on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto Protocol on 4 September 2002 [14]. As part of the obligations under Article 4 of the UNFCCC, the Government of Malaysia submitted its Initial National Communication in July 2000 and the Second

development of the country, the Malaysian rubber industry also generated a significant amount of waste [7]. These wastes are subjected to various regulations under the Malaysian Environmental Quality Act 1974. The open burning of rubber plantation wastes in the form of rubber tree stumps after land clearing are governed under the Environmental Quality (clean air) Regulations 1978 Part III (burning of wastes). The practice of open burning is only allowed for specific cases after obtaining special permission from Department of Environment

and Environmental Quality (scheduled waste) Regulations (1989) [9].

**2.2 Climate change and Malaysia greenhouse gases emission**

impacts on human and natural system.

and will assist Malaysia in achieving a high income status by 2020 [4].

**2.1 Environmental management in Malaysian rubber industry**

**184**

According to [17], there was an earlier LCA study for the production of natural rubber latex concentrate and skim block rubber in North Sumatera, Indonesia involving two latex concentrate factories. The objectives of the study by [17] is not only confined to produce life cycle inventories and environmental impact data from the life cycle impact assessment stage, but the objective was further expanded to include the assessment on the level of eco-efficiency for the production of natural rubber latex concentrate and skim block rubber by utilizing the values obtain from the life cycle impact assessment analysis based on Eco-Indicator 99 methodology [17]. However, this LCA study for the Malaysian rubber industry is the first study of its kind carried out in Malaysia.
