Malaysia to return 3,000 metric tonnes plastic waste to 14 countries

KUALA LAMPUR: Malaysia will return 3,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste to the countries that had shipped it, said Yeo Bee Yin, minister of energy, technology, science, environment and climate change, Malaysia on May 28, 2019.

He said, “The country will not be a dumping ground to the world anymore, and we cannot be bullied by the developed countries. We urge developed countries to stop sending plastic waste to us as it is unfair and uncivilized. We are going to return it back to the countrries without any mercy”. The minister said it after inspecting the waste containers filled with garbage at outskirts of the capital city – Kuala Lumpur.

As per the official reports, plastic imports to Malaysia is now tripled since 2016, to 8,70,000 tonnes last year. A recent report by Greenpeace Report claimed that Malaysia is now the new dumping site for other 19 countries for plastic recycling.

It is to be mentioned that, China which had earlier taken in large amount of plastics for recycling, had banned importing plastic waste last year by saying, “We want to improve our own environment”.

Malaysian officials have identified 14 origin countries, including the United States, Japan, Canada, France, Britain and Australia for its unwanted waste, reports Reuters.