BUTTERWORTH: Malaysia has returned 150 containers of plastic wastes, weighing 3,737 metric tonnes, to their respective country of origin since the third quarter of last year.
Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said the containers of plastic waste, mainly from developed countries, were shipped back at no financial cost to the government.
She said the containers were shipped back to their country of origin via ports in Klang, Penang and Sarawak.
“The cost of returning back the containers of plastic waste was borne by the importers or shipping companies.
“This is the first time in the country’s history the containers were sent back on a large scale.
“The government views seriously the matter, and we will not hesitate to take stern actions to ensure Malaysia is not turned into the world’s dumpster,” she said at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) here today.
Earlier, Yeo personally supervised the repatriation of containers of plastic waste to their countries of origin at the NBCT.
Present were the Department of Environment director-general Norlin Jaafar and state Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh.
Of the 150 containers of plastic waste, 40 containers involved exporters from France, the United Kingdom (42), the United States (17), Canada (11), Spain (10) and Hong Kong (nine).
Others included five containers from Japan, Singapore (four), Portugal (three), China (three) and one each from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Lithuania
Elaborating, Yeo said it is estimated that about 110 containers of plastic waste would be shipped back to their countries of origin, before year’s end.
She said from the total, 60 containers were from the United States, Canada (15), Japan (14), the United Kingdom (nine), Belgium (eight) and other countries.
“For now, none of the countries of origin have refused to accept the containers. All that rendered their fullest cooperation, some slow and some faster than expected,” she added.
Meanwhile, Yeo said the government would launch the HS Code 3915 next month to standardised enforcement procedure in the field by the relevant agencies.
She added that the procedure is expected to involve the Department of Environment, Customs Department, National Solid Waste Management Department, the Solid Waste And Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) and port authorities.