MALAYSIA will ship 450 metric tonnes of contaminated plastic waste back to the countries of origin, said Yeo Bee Yin today.

The energy, science, technology, environment and climate change minister said the waste came from Australia, the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Spain and Bangladesh.

The plastics were brought to Malaysia in 10 containers of the more than 50 shipped in illegally, she said, adding that inspection is ongoing.

“Garbage is traded under the pretext of recycling. Malaysians are forced to suffer poor air quality and a host of other pollution-related problems due to the open burning of plastics.

“We view the perpetrators of this act as traitors to the country’s sustainability. They should be stopped and brought to justice,” Yeo told reporters after witnessing the inspection of nine containers in Port Klang.

She said the cabinet, on April 4, gave her ministry the mandate to form a special task force, with the cooperation of other agencies, to investigate the smuggling of plastic waste into Malaysia.

The joint operation today was led by the Environment Department, Customs Department, police, Port Klang Authority, National Solid Waste Management Department and Westports Malaysia.

Yeo revealed that a UK recycling company has exported to Malaysia more than 50,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste in the past two years.

She said her ministry and the Environment Department will compile the names of such foreign companies and submit them to the respective governments for investigation.

It is expected that a total of 3,000 metric tonnes of waste in 60 containers will be shipped back after they have been fully inspected.

Yeo said the trash comprises “non-homogeneous, low-quality, non-recyclable plastic waste” routed to processing facilities without proper equipment to deal with it safely.

Perpetrators face punishment under the Environmental Quality (Clear Air) Regulations 2014 and Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations 2009. They face a fine not exceeding RM100,000, or imprisonment of up to two years, or five in the case of the latter regulations, or both.

“As a party to the Basel Convention, Malaysia imposes strict requirements, in line with Article 4(11) of the convention, on all imports of mixed-plastic waste, to ensure any transboundary movement is conducted in a manner that protects human health and the environment,” said Yeo.

She said there has been a mushrooming of illegal recycling factories since her ministry received the first report on illegally handled plastic waste last July.

These plants burn non-recyclable plastics and do not have water treatment facilities, therefore, the water used in the recycling process is simply discharged into the environment, she said.

“A company cannot make money if it complies with the laws and regulations. This is why these companies operate as such. Since July last year, we have shut down more than 150 illegal recycling factories.”

She added that owners of land used to store plastic waste illegally must pay for the waste’s disposal.

“They must be responsible. If plastic waste is found on your land, the state government can use the National Land Code to make you rectify the situation. You have to foot the bill, failing which, the state government will confiscate the land.”

Yeo said she has contacted the British High Commission to discuss ways to move forward with waste disposal in terms of cost, machinery and capacity-building.

From January to July last year, Malaysia received 754,000 tonnes of plastic waste, mostly from the UK, Germany, Japan and Australia, according to Greenpeace.

Yesterday, it was reported that the Perak Environment Department has been tasked with investigating reports on UK plastic waste found in an Ipoh dump site. – May 28, 2019.