Environmental Impact Evaluation of Rubber Cultivation and Industry in Malaysia

Over the last 10 years, contribution of Malaysian rubber industry to Malaysia export earnings has increased significantly from RM 15.5 billion in 2003 to RM 33.7 billion in 2013. The main objectives of this study are to provide a comprehensive inventory and detailed quantification of the environmental impact and greenhouse gases emission (GHGs) for the major part of Malaysian rubber industry comprising the cultivation of rubber tree from cradle to grave as well as Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) production from cradle to gate. This study was conducted through questionnaire surveys in order to create a very comprehensive life cycle inventories tables representing the actual activities in the Malaysian rubber industry. The results from the questionnaire survey indicated that the GHGs emission from the average annual activities in the cultivation of rubber trees from cradle to grave in Malaysia is 315.54 GgCO2eq and it represents 0.11% from the 2011 Malaysia GHGs emission. The average annual GHGs emission from the production of SMR in Malaysia in this study is 229.41 GgCO2eq and it represents 72.7% from the average annual GHGs emission from the cultivation of rubber trees from cradle to grave in Malaysia.