TWO containers that arrived at Port Klang on March 27 from the United States carried clean polyethylene commercial plastic waste, said Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. 

“The plastic waste was clean, homogenous, and followed the criteria as required in the import licence,” he said, adding that the matter was confirmed by the National Solid Waste Management Department.

He said the inspection on the containers was conducted by the Department of Environment (DoE), Customs Department, police, JPSPN, Port Klang Authority, Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation and Westport Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

Tuan Ibrahim said as the competent authority to Basel Convention, DoE confirmed the plastic waste complied with B3011 Basel Convention criteria.

“The B3011 plastic waste importation does not require prior inform consent and notification from export countries,” he said in a statement today.

A check by DoE on the importer’s premises found it was in compliance with the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and carried out plastic waste recycling activities using environmentally sound management.

On March 20, Tuan Ibrahim was reported as saying a container from Los Angeles, suspected of carrying commercial plastic waste, will be impounded when it arrived at Port Klang.

“Stern actions would be taken if they fail to meet the plastic waste import criteria and procedure as stipulated by Malaysia,” he said. – Bernama, March 30, 2021.