Plastic waste: importance of environmental conservation should not be ignored - MNS

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 17): The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) today hopes that the five relevant ministries will not ignore the importance of conserving the environment in finding the solution to the issue of importing plastic waste into the country.

Its president Prof Dr Ahmad Ismail said the Ministry of Housing and Local Government; Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change; Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources; the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic Affairs should reach a consensus so that plastic waste issues would be resolved soon enough.

He said the government’s decision to charge every tonne of imported plastic waste to generate income was good but at the same time, attention should be paid to environmental pollution that could affect human health.

“What benefit will it be for the country if we collect the money and yet at the same time we are exposed to the pollution unless we have the technology to contain the effects of the waste on the environment and health.

“Our country still practises common sanitary landfill sites. Hence, latest technologies on waste disposal need to be introduced and we need a clear direction of the country’s solid waste management,” he said when contacted by Bernama yesterday.

Ahmad said the real issue here would be the garbage and environmental pollution despite the fees and charges imposed on imported plastic waste as the practice still allow the import of garbage into the country.

Yesterday, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said plastic waste importers would be charged for licence and verification fees as well as charges for every tonne of imported plastic waste.