Malaysia sends back UK’S unwanted plastic

MALAYSIA has returned 150 containers of plastic waste, including 42 to the UK, since late last year, its environment minister revealed, warning that the south-east Asian nation would not become the “world’s dumpster”.

Approximately, 3,700 tons of unwanted waste has been sent back to 13 predominantly rich countries including the United States, Canada, Spain and Portugal. The highest number of containers, 43, were returned to France.

Shipments of rubbish have been redirected to south-east Asia since China banned the import of plastic waste in 2018, but Malaysia has joined a growing number of countries, including the Philippines and Indonesia, which are rejecting the imports.

“If people want to see us as the rubbish dump of the world, you dream on,” Yeo Bee Yin, the environment minister, told reporters.

“Enforcement action was taken on containers which contained plastic waste imported illegally,” she said, citing the Basel Convention, a treaty designed to restrict movements of hazardous waste between nations.

The containers were shipped back to their country of origin via ports in Klang, Penang and Sarawak in what has been the largest operation of its kind in the country’s history.

She said the Malaysian government bore none of the costs, with the financial burden of sending the waste back landing fully on shipping liners and importers. A total of 218 illegal factories receiving the waste have also been shut down by the authorities.

Ms Yeo added that another 110 containers are expected to be sent back by the middle of the year, confirming that talks are under way with the US to accept another 60 of its containers.

Nine from the UK are still being held at Malaysian ports, along with 15 from Canada, 14 from Japan, and eight from Belgium.