The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) has proposed the establishment of a National Committee to tackle the illegal entry of e-waste into the country, its minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said today, as per a report by the Malay Mail.
He said the committee would form part of a whole-of-nation approach to ensure the issue is resolved comprehensively.
“In addition, I have also signed an order yesterday to the Finance Ministry and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department to transfer e-waste from the Second Schedule to the First Schedule of the Customs (Prohibition on Imports) Order 2023, which will empower the Customs Department to enforce an absolute ban on e-waste products.
“This will provide the Customs Department with the authority to block the entry or allow e-waste containers from being unloaded from ships if they arrive at our country’s ports,” he said after visiting Port Klang to review the status of seized containers containing e-waste.
The visit followed findings by a ministry special task force urging improvements in governance and the effectiveness of environmental law enforcement.
Arthur reiterated that the Department of Environment (DOE) has not issued any approval for the import of e-waste or disposal of other scheduled waste, as Malaysia does not permit the importation of scheduled waste in line with the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
On his inspection today, he said 605 of the 818 containers at the port have been checked by the DOE so far.
