PUTRAJAYA does not approve dirty plastic to be imported into the country as alleged by certain parties, said Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

In a public lecture session on plastic waste management today, Zuraida said the ministry only imports clean plastic that can be processed and exported to bigger international companies.

“The purpose of today’s session is to explain and ensure that the public understands this issue and will explain to the rest not to accuse the government of importing dirty plastic,” she said in Putrajaya.

She said matters pertaining to plastic waste management came to light in June when Malaysia was reported to be the top importer of US scrap plastic last year, after China banned imports of most recyclables.

Following this expose, the ministry inspected a dump site in Kuala Langat, Selangor and discovered a huge pile of trash as well as illegal factories that processed the plastic waste.

Despite some factories being sealed by the local council (PBT), some still resumed their illegal business.

The Malaysian Insight had previously reported that Pulau Indah in Klang, Selangor had become one of the region’s largest dumping grounds with 30 to 40 illegal waste-processing factories.

Zuraida said today that the ministry will review the compound set for illegal waste-processing factories which is currently fined RM300.

She also said the activity of processing plastic waste into consumer products is a promising business if it is well regulated by the government as it is worth RM30 billion.

“With the new regulations we will impose after we have studied and reviewed the activities, we feel that it is a potential business that we can plan systematically with high technology.

“The factories should be located at a proper industrial site which will be monitored and could potentially bring in revenue to the country,” Zuraida said.

She said with the new regulations, a fee will be imposed on each tonne of plastic imports. Currently there is no such tax.

Zuraida, however, stressed that the plastic dumped at the sites were not imported, adding some companies may have made fraudulent declarations to the Customs Department.

Therefore the ministry will also work with the Customs Department to ensure the quality of imports.

“They will also be be told on the types of plastics that are allowed to be imported and they have to ensure that those imported have quality,” she added.

Zuraida said 19 companies have applied for the plastic waste import license (AP). The ministry has already visited 13 companies.

“We have six more (companies) to visit. When we do our visits, everything looks good on paper but at the site the plastic is exposed to open air. There should be a roof,” she said.

She also said the ministry is in the process of phasing out the imported plastic so that local plastic can be processed and used for export purposes if the industry is actively involved in recycling. – January 15, 2019.