BUTTERWORTH – A total of 24 containers carrying paper waste from Canada and the United States have been ordered to be sent back due to lack of licences following an inspection by the Penang Environment Department (DoE).
Some 19 containers from Canada and five from the US arrived at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) here yesterday.
Penang DoE director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the investigation found that the importer did not have a licensed receiver facility and lacked a licence for manufacturing that should have been issued by the International Trade and Industry Ministry.
She added that the failure of the importers to obtain approval from the recipient could lead to negative implications, such as the possibility of illegal waste disposal and processing, open burning, among others.
Sharifah Zakiah said the recycling process at illegal premises could cause serious pollution issues as used paper recycling operations required large quantities of water up to 45 cubic metres of water per metric tonne of paper.
“The recycling operation will also produce a lot of wastewater or effluent and can pollute drains and rivers if not treated first.
“According to the legislation, industrial effluent must be treated first until it complies with the standard limits according to the Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations 2009 before being discharged,” she said in a statement today.
Apart from state DoE officers, the operation at the NBCT was joined by customs officers and representatives from Penang Port Sdn Bhd and shipping agencies.
She said there has been a significant increase in the influx of solid waste, including paper waste, into the country since China announced an official ban on all types of solid waste from entering the republic from January 1.
China enforced a ban on plastic waste starting January 1, 2017, followed by a ban on 24 other types of solid waste on July 27 that same year.
“The situation has caused industry players who usually import waste to China to relocate their operations to Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia.”
She said the importation problem needed to be addressed seriously as waste materials imported through NBCT may be brought to other states for illegal processing or disposal.
“Cooperation of all parties is needed to prevent Malaysia from becoming the world’s garbage dump”. – The Vibes, July 24, 2021
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