Investigating the Factors Impacting the Growth of the Metal Recycling Industry in Malaysia

The metal recycling industry plays a pivotal role in the circular economy (CE), fostering jobs creation and bolstering a country's GDP. Despite numerous studies scrutinising challenges within this sector, scant attention has been paid to its specific impacts in Malaysia. Thus, this study aims to delve into the ramifications of factors such as limited awareness, government policies, market price fluctuations, and workforce shortages on the growth trajectory of Malaysia's metal recycling industry. Employing a quantitative approach, this research gauges insights from business proprietors, marketing and procurement managers, and executives within the metal recycling domain. Utilizing Likert questionnaires as the primary measurement tool, this study disseminated 170 surveys to targeted respondents. Findings from the study unveil significant, adverse correlations between independent variables-namely, lack of awareness, governmental policies, market price volatility, and lack of manpower-and industry growth. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the implications derived from these findings and outlines potential avenues for future research in this domain.