Plastic recycling industry players welcome tougher measures — Zuraida
PUTRAJAYA: Plastic recycling industry players welcome the decision of the government to introduce new conditions in the application of import permit (AP) for plastic waste from Oct 23, says Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.
She said the government had stopped giving out plastic waste AP for the three months since July 23.“The ministry had held discussions with plastic waste recycling industry players on introducing the new conditions.
“Plastic waste AP applicants will be required to fill forms and meet the new conditions. We will study before making a decision on whether to approve or not,” she told reporters here yesterday.
Before this, she attended the conferring of Honourary Deputy Fire and Rescue Commissioner on Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad Baharuddin Shah here yesterday.
Also present was Fire and Rescue Department director-general, Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.
On Tuesday, Zuraida said importers of plastic waste would have to pay a levy of RM15 per tonne of the goods apart from submitting information on the source of the plastic waste.
Apart from that, she said companies applying for AP should also obtain approval from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority ( MIDA) as well as obtaining approval from the Department of Environment. The Housing and Local Government Ministry had revoked the plastic waste import licence of 114 companies and factories nationwide for three months from July 23.
The measures were taken following local reports on serious pollution in Kuala Langat, Selangor said to be from illegal factories processing imported plastic waste.