Bauxite in Malaysia | Monsoons could mean Mayhem

Bauxite in Malaysia | Monsoons could mean Mayhem

As the monsoon season approaches in Malaysia, a wave of anxiety larger than normal is washing over areas of Pahang used for bauxite mining.  Flooding is normally a big problem for the port city of Kuantan, but the many open-pit bauxite mines dug this year threaten to unleash torrents of…

5 European Nations Promise 100% Sustainable Palm Oil

5 European Nations Promise 100% Sustainable Palm Oil

The governments of France, Germany, the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands have officially pledged to make palm oil production 100% sustainable by 2020.  By ensuring that they demand only certified sustainable palm oil, these countries aim to force ethical and environmental practice on an industry punishing ecosystems across the globe….

Five Bauxite Lorries Burned by an Angry Malaysian Public

Five Bauxite Lorries Burned by an Angry Malaysian Public

It appears that Malaysian communities suffering under waves of pollution, industrial takeover and governmental inaction thanks to a surge of irresponsible bauxite mining have finally hit the breaking point.  Five lorries (trucks that blow through towns leaving large clouds of bauxite dust in their wake) have been set afire by…

Just how Big is Malaysia’s Palm Oil Industry?

Just how Big is Malaysia’s Palm Oil Industry?

With all the press surrounding palm oil in Malaysia – its boon to the national economy, its increasing demand worldwide, its razing and takeover of tropical forest and its reliance on migrant labor – it can be difficult to get a clear picture of the industry.  The facts are all…

Bauxite Mining already Tainting Malaysia’s Water Supply?

Bauxite Mining already Tainting Malaysia’s Water Supply?

Bauxite mining in Malaysia – and the heavy metal contamination it sews across land, air and water – is coming under increasing scrutiny as its industrial activity causes more and more public and environmental health problems. The latest in a series of worries including cancer risks, economic upset, groundwater corruption…

Request for Ban on Bauxite Mining Highlights Malaysia’s Latest Addiction

Request for Ban on Bauxite Mining Highlights Malaysia’s Latest Addiction

The debate surrounding Malaysia’s bauxite mining industry is nearing a fever pitch.  National bauxite exports have exploded from around 100,000 tons in 2013 to over 2.5 million last year to what could be more than 20 million for 2015.  Legal and illegal mining operations have sprung up everywhere, spreading carcinogenic…

A Potential Export Ban on Bauxite in Malaysia

A Potential Export Ban on Bauxite in Malaysia

After months of suffering from intense industrial pollution, the residents of Pahang – Malaysia’s unofficial bauxite mining capital – could be looking at some relief.  The Malaysian Federal Government agreed on November 16 to suggest a temporary suspension of bauxite exports from Pahang. In order to carry on with the…

Malaysian Pulp Giant makes Sustainability Guidelines; Breaks Them

Malaysian Pulp Giant makes Sustainability Guidelines; Breaks Them

Indonesia’s second-largest pulp and paper producer Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) introduced a new sustainability policy in June.  The updated policy was greeted with guarded skepticism by environmental NGOs including Greenpeace, and it seems their doubt may have been well-founded. APRIL’s new policy stated that they had stopped all…

Why Hasn’t Australia Helped Regulate Bauxite Mining in Malaysia?

Why Hasn’t Australia Helped Regulate Bauxite Mining in Malaysia?

Despite the fact that they can both be said to exist, the bauxite industries in Australia and Malaysia couldn’t be more different.  In fact, they are directly at odds – Australia’s highly regulated and deeply-entrenched bauxite mining sector is being undercut by Malaysia’s quick and cheap exports. Both countries are…

Malaysia’s First Sustainable Agro Farm

Malaysia’s First Sustainable Agro Farm

In the small tin-mining town of Tanjung Tualang, a farm from the future has been introduced.  Using late-breaking sustainable agriculture technology, solar power, recycled rainwater, greenhouses and automated harvesting systems, the facility has been entrusted to the locals and runs as a flagship project for forward-thinking agriculture. This unheard-of gift…