FACTORIES in Sungai Petani, Kedah are not allowed to import plastic waste as their approved permits are still under review, said Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

She urged the authorities to take action if the companies are processing plastic waste.

“The council can only issue compounds. The Department of Environment (DoE) has the power to shut them down if they don’t comply with the requirements,” Zuraida told The Malaysian Insight.

The recent toxic waste contamination in Sg Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang, Johor, had prompted residents in Sungai Petani to start a voluntary patrol unit to weed out illegal waste recycling factories in their area.

They said more than 10 such factories have set up shop in their area in two years.

Bakar Arang assemblyman Simon Ooi Tze Min told The Malaysian Insight the only way to stop the mushrooming of illegal waste factories in Sungai Petani was to stop giving out APs.

He said there is an indirect link between the distribution of APs to legal factories and the rampant growth of illegal ones.

On the illegal factories in Sungai Petani, Zuraida said the DoE, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation, the police and other agencies had on January conducted a joint operation to weed out such facilities.

“The authorities will continue to conduct more operations.”

Zuraida said there are currently 21 companies in Malaysia with the AP to import plastic waste, while the ministry is reviewing the AP applications of 28 other companies.

“Currently only 21 companies are allowed to import plastic waste and this number will increase if the other companies comply with the new requirements set by the ministry.”

Last October, the government introduced new requirements for the import licence for plastic waste. New applicants as well as existing licence holders must now submit the location of the waste disposal factory, a list of final buyers for the resins, and a list of plants owned by the company, among others. Additionally, the factory is allowed to store only up to 70% capacity of imported plastic waste, to encourage the use of local plastic waste.

It was reported that 114 companies held the AP for plastic waste but only 54 were active and eight fully complied with requirements. – March 26, 2019.