Slap total ban on plastic waste, Asean trade chamber urges Malaysia

The Asean Chamber of Commerce says illegal dumping of plastic waste in Malaysia has raised concerns about public health and quality of life. (AFP pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should take its commitment to fight against plastic pollution further by enforcing a total ban on dumping of solid plastic waste and scrap, according to the Asean Chamber of Commerce.

In a statement today, it said that as illegal dumping was now a major problem in Malaysia, it raised significant concerns regarding public health and safety, property values and quality of life.

It called for an effective illegal dumping prevention programme, with the support of local officials, various authorities, the community and industry.

“An integrated approach is needed to address the factors contributing to the problem,” the chamber said in a statement.

A foreign news agency reported recently that following China’s ban on accepting the world’s used plastic, it was being redirected in huge quantities to Southeast Asia, where Chinese recyclers have shifted en masse.

Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin was quoted as saying that the government intended to cut off illegal plastic imports at all points of entry.

The chamber noted that Asean countries had previously allowed local regional governments in special economic zones to make money from foreign waste.

“However, overwhelmed with its own unrecycled garbage, Malaysia has to switch gears, focusing its effort on closing the gap between domestic waste and its recycling capacity,” it said. - FMT