Plastic waste permits revoked at 114 factories to battle pollution

KUALA LUMPUR (July 25): Approved permits (AP) for the import of the HS Code 3915 plastic waste for 114 companies and factories has been revoked for three months, effective July 23. 

According to Bernama, Housing and Local Government minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin said that the permits had been revoked after newspaper reports of serious pollution in Kuala Langat Selangor, attributed to factories processing plastic waste.

Only factories with valid APs would be allowed to continue operations of plastic waste management in accordance with the international environmental standards and guidelines. Local government authorities were to conduct checks in order to ensure this. 

“Within this three months, factories whose permits have been revoked should re-apply and there’ll be new criteria to be observed to ensure no power abuse and breach of standards and regulations” she said to Bernama.

In order to obtain a licence, factories would need to show proof that their plastic waste is homogenous, clean, and not scheduled waste. Compliance letters would need to obtained from the Department of Environment (DOE), premise licences should be obtained from the local authority, and also recommendations from the Solid Waste management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp).
 
The Ministry, through the National Solid Waste Management Department (NSWMD), would form a task force to review procedures and policy on the importation of Code 3915 plastic waste, she said to the news agency.

NSWMD director-general Ismail Mokhtar would chair, and the DOE, Royal Customs Department, International Trade and Industry Ministry, Malaysian Investment Development Board (MIDA) and SWCorp would be its members, she said.