Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin (left) and her deputy Isnaraissah Munirah showing the plastic waste that will be sent back to the exporter at Wesport today. – Bernama photo
PORT KLANG: Importers of prohibited plastic waste are traitors to the country and stern action will be taken against them, said Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin.
She said the blame for the dumping of prohibited plastic waste in the country should not be placed solely on exporters because it took two to tango.
“Every container (imported) will have its local player here…otherwise they cannot export it here; that was why I said they are traitors,” she told a press conference after inspecting shipping containers with contaminated plastic waste at Westports here today.
However, Yeo said she could not disclose how many local companies were involved as it was still under investigation, giving an assurance that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
Yeo said about 123 containers had been inspected by a special task force set up about a month ago, with 60 of them containing 3,000 tonnes of plastic, which are expected to be sent back to their countries of origin after closer inspection.
She said 10 of the 60 containers would be returned immediately to their countries of origin within 14 days, noting that prior to this five containers had been sent back to Spain.
Apart from Spain, the other countries include Australia, the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China and Bangladesh, she added.
Yeo said the cost of returning the containers would be borne by either importers or exporters depending on the laws the government would be using.
“The quicker one is by using local laws, such as the Environmental Quality Act 1974 to necessitate and make it mandatory for them (consignee or importer) to send back, failing which they will be brought to court.
“If that fails, let’s say we could not find the consignee…then only we will use the Basel Convention in which exporters have to pay for it, because it is illegal traffic under Article 9 (sending waste) without consent…but because the process is longer we would like to first seek using local laws because under the local law within 14 days you have to send back the waste,” she said.
Asked whether the illegal importing of plastic waste was masterminded by a syndicate, she said: “I can only give an example, one company in the United Kingdom can export more than 1,000 containers for recycling. This is more than 50,000 metric tonnes and it was imported by one single company in Malaysia.
“So do you term it as syndicate? It’s up to you,” she said, adding that the investigation was ongoing.
Yeo said the task force would proceed with inspections in other ports in the country by using the Standard Operating Procedures used in their first phase at Port Klang.
She vowed to ensure that Malaysia would not be a dumping ground to the world.
“Malaysia like any other developing country has the right to clean air, water, sustainable resource and a clean environment to live in, just like citizens of developed countries.
“That is why we are here to urge developed countries to review their management of plastic waste and stop shipping garbage out…if they ship to Malaysia we will return back without mercy,” she added. – Bernama