GEORGE TOWN: Penang will send 265 plastic waste-filled containers, which are currently held up at the North Butterworth Container Terminal, back to their countries of origin.
State Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said that the state is taking the action after receiving instructions from the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry.
The plastic waste containers arrived in Penang from Belgium, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Canada and several other countries.
Phee said that the state’s first step is to determine the details of the containers, which belong to 11 different companies, which will be investigated for importing the plastic waste.
“Once we work out the details, we will contact the companies and start negotiations on sending the waste back.
“Negotiations are needed because the companies can refuse to take responsibility for sending the containers back.
“Among the things we need to negotiate are the freight charges and the cost of returning the containers.
“We also need to get the companies’ assurance that they will not dump the waste into the ocean half way,” Phee told the New Straits Times.
He added that they are hoping to return the waste as soon as possible – but admitted that negotiations could take time.
“The principle is that we will have to send (the waste) back (to their countries of origin) within one month,” Phee said.
It was reported that the containers, of which only 149 were declared, were brought into the country under a household waste code and without approved permits for plastic waste.
The companies involved in importing the rubbish hid the plastic waste behind a wall of household waste in the containers to evade customs’ detection.
They have been hit with a RM1,000 fine per container.
The 265 40-foot containers, with a total weight of 7,420 tonnes, have been docked at the port for the past six months.
They are believed to have incurred some RM5 million in port charges.
When asked on whether any other legal action will be taken against the companies, Phee said that they are waiting for further instruction from the ministry and relevant authorities.
“There will be further action against the companies. At the moment, we only fined them for wrong declaration and not false declaration, which are two different things.
“We need to wait for instructions from the relevant authorities on our next legal action,” he said.
Malaysia has taken firm steps against becoming the worlds’ dumping ground.
Late last month, Minister Yeo Bee Yin oversaw the shipping of 450 metric tonnes of contaminated plastic waste back to their countries of origin.
Since then, several municipal councils have also taken steps to weed out illegal plastic recycling factories.
A total of 62 Malaysian companies currently hold approved permits (AP) to import and process plastic waste.
The permits are issued by the National Solid Waste Management Department (NSWMD), which is under the Housing and Local Government Ministry.
In July last year, the Ministry announced a three-month suspension on the issuance of permits following a contamination incident in Kuala Langat, Selangor, believed to have been caused by a factory processing plastic waste illegally.
Keywords: Plastic waste, Butterworth, Environment Ministry, containers, rubbish, Yeo Bee Yin