Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, Yeo Bee Yin shows samples of a plastics waste shipment from Australia before sending it back to the country of origin in Port Klang, on May 28, 2019. - AFP: The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry will be shipping back a total of 3,000 metric tonnes of contaminated plastic waste.
MESTECC Minister Yeo Bee Yin said 450 metric tonnes of these wastes, contained in 10 containers, will be shipped back immediately, while 50 other containers will be inspected before shipping it back to their country of origin. The 10 containers originated from Australia, United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China and Bangladesh. This is in addition to the 5 containers sent back to Spain on 29th April.
“Garbage is traded under the pretext of recycling. Malaysians are forced to suffer poor air quality due to open burning of plastics which leads to health hazard, polluted rivers, illegal landfills and other related problems,“ she said at a press conference after inspecting the containers at Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd today.