Circular economy (CE): A framework towards sustainable low carbon development in Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia

Abstract

Under the Malaysia’s National Key Economic Area (NKEA), Pengerang is set to become the largest regional petroleum refinery and trading hub in South East Asia and will be the focus centre in Asia and globally. This paper relates the basic theory of CE with Pengerang’s background, which is in the construction phase towards becoming the centre of integrated petrochemical refinery industry in Johor, Malaysia. CE in the petrochemical industry in Pengerang is briefly exposed in terms of overall constitutional framework, industrial management, energy cycle usage, and wastewater and sludge treatment. This paper outlines the reviews of current movements for Circular Economy (CE) based on the work of literature gathered in 2000 till 2017, its definitions, current best practices, and policy framework towards its implementation especially in highly industrialised petrochemical refinery industries in Europe and China. These mechanisms of CE are then synthesised and implementation framework for CE in Pengerang is produced. Despite this early investigation and literature exposure of CE in Pengerang, there is a need for further specific research to be conducted extensively, to acquire more understanding especially in the context of potential implementations, stakeholders’ involvement and awareness towards low carbon development in Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia via CE implementation.