AUTHORITIES SEEK SOLUTION TO STRANDED PLASTIC WASTE
Cargo to remain at Westports, Penang Port pending ministerial decision
THE authorities are looking for a solution to clear the ports of stranded plastic waste following the ban on the import of plastic scrap.
The ban was announced following revelations that Malaysia has become a top dumping ground for plastic waste.
Customs Department directorgeneral Datuk Seri T. Subromaniam said the department was working with the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry and National Solid Waste Department Management to address the hundreds of containers stranded at the Penang Port and Westports in Port Klang here.
He said they would resolve the issue of space at the ports as the containers would be held there for sometime.
“For containers with good plastic that can be recycled, we are waiting for the application of Approved Permits (APs) but applicants must be able to fulfil the requirements, which are stricter now.
“On dirty plastic, a ministerial decision will be announced soon. We are in the midst of discussion.”
He said there were more than 100 containers of plastic waste stranded in Westports.
Penang Customs Department director Datuk Saidi Ismail had said there were 120 containers, some of which had yet to be declared or falsely declared, left in Penang Port for months.
Subromaniam said Customs had issued a warning to shipping agents at seaports against releasing any containers bearing imported plastic waste.
He said his department would not release the containers without an AP and that there was no way an AP could be obtained if they held plastic waste.
He was quoted as saying: “Any parties found to have wrongly declared their cargo, for instance, if they bring in plastic waste and they declare it as ‘good plastic’ like polymers and resins, will have their forwarding agent licence revoked.”
He said plastic waste had been included in the list of high-duty items along with liquor and tobacco. The move to make plastic waste part of the list was to curb attempts by forwarding agents from falsifying documents to bring in unwanted rubbish into Malaysia.
This came amid the government’s crackdown on the import of plastic waste from developed countries, such as Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, from July last year.
“The government announced a three-month freeze followed by a permanent ban on the import of plastic waste from October.
“Aside from looking for false declaration of items, such as liquor, tobacco, tyres and tiles, we are looking closely at plastic waste.”
Subromaniam said his department had revoked the licences of four forwarding agents who made false declarations on imported cargo containing dirty plastic last year.
He said the agents falsified documents, claiming that the cargo was quality plastic.
“We are heightening awareness with a programme called ‘Due Diligence — Know Your Customers’ where we stress the need for forwarding agents to know their customers, their export and import dealings, as well as items.”