Enforcement agencies will beef up actions to stop illegal imports of mixed waste paper, following news of such trash being shipped here from the United States.
The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) said Malaysia does not allow imports of mixed or unsorted waste paper, including paper contaminated with plastic.
Any shipment found to be non-compliant must be repatriated to the country of origin at the importer’s cost, with enforcement action taken where necessary,” Miti told The Star.
The ministry was responding to a news report by the Los Angeles Times, which said that beverage cartons from California in the US have been illegally exported to Malaysia and Vietnam as “recycled” mixed paper, violating international environmental law.
“We will continue to strengthen enforcement, information-sharing and inter-agency coordination to ensure Malaysia is not used as a destination for illegal or contaminated waste,” the ministry said.
The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) is also committed to preventing illegal waste from entering the country and to protecting public health and the environment.
“Our position is clear: any waste import must comply with strict legal and environmental requirements,” said the NRES when contacted.
The Los Angeles Times report said more than 117,000 tons (106,140.6 tonnes) or 4,126 shipping containers worth of mixed paper bales were sent by California waste companies to Malaysia between January and July last year.
