Syed Umar Ariff New Straits Times 18 May 19;
KUALA LUMPUR: Garbage illegally exported to Malaysia will be shipped back to their countries of origin following amended annexes under the Basel Convention, which
generally require for the entry of plastic scraps to obtain permission from importing countries.
The change under the Basel Convention is expected to significantly reduce plastic waste entry into Malaysia, which became one of the world’s dumping grounds after China’s ban on solid waste import on Jan 1 last year.
The ban covered 24 types of waste, including low-grade polyethene terephthalate and unsorted paper.
Prior to the ban, China reigned as the major processor of at least half of global waste exports.
The amended annexes would see greater control over transboundary plastic waste movement beginning 2021, when signatory countries completed aligning local laws with the annexes.
Malaysia has been a party to the Basel Convention since 1993 alongside 186 other countries.
At the 14th Conference of Parties to the Basel Convention (COP14) held from April 29 to May 10 in Geneva, Malaysia successfully negotiated for the convention to amend the annexes and through it supported the original proposal by Norway for unrestricted plastic waste under Annex IX to be classified under Annex II, which categorises the waste as requiring special consideration.
Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said yesterday that the special consideration would involve “prior informed consent” (PIC), which would be granted by the importing country before a transboundary plastic waste movement was initiated.
“Previously, it was not clarified whether plastic waste classified under Annex IX of the convention can be recycled, apart from not requiring PIC from the importing country.
“The ministry, through the Department of Environment (DoE), which acts as the competent authority to the Basel Convention, will continuously inspect containers of plastic waste suspected to be contaminated or brought in under false declarations, so that action can be taken.
“If the entry of plastic waste is found to have violated the criteria and regulations, the order to return the containers to the origin countries will be issued in line with the convention’s requirements.”
Yeo said the cost of returning the exported waste would be fully borne by the responsible signatory countries.
“If it is found to be impractical for them (to ship the waste back to their countries), we will dispose of it and will charge them (the full cost).”
Previously, Annex IX classified only non-harmful plastic, but did not clarify whether the material could be recycled.
The amended annexes highlight three classifications of plastic waste.
Annex IX: non-contaminated plastic, immediately recyclable, such as polyethene terephthalate (PET) flakes or pellets, and does not mix with other waste.
Annex II: plastic waste that cannot be recycled without undergoing the cleaning process due to contamination of foreign materials, such as papers, stickers, stones and PET bottles.
Annex VIII: Plastic waste mixed with hazardous materials, such as PET bottles containing pesticides.
Annex II and VII will require PIC, but not Annex IX.
Last month, prior to the amendments, it was reported that at least five containers of contaminated plastic waste were shipped to Port Klang through false declarations.
The entry was halted by the DoE and the containers were returned to their country of origin, Spain.
Yeo said her ministry was working closely with its housing, transportation, international trade and industry counterparts to review the legal requirement and procedures on importing plastic waste.
