Malaysia has started sending plastic waste back to developed countries

Friday, 24 May 2019

Video captured by the Kuala Langat environmental group shows the burning and collection of other countries' recycling waste in Malaysia.

Associate environment minister Eugenie Sage has warned New Zealand companies exporting waste to Malaysia to comply with regulations.

Malaysia has started to send plastic back to the exporting countries who are flouting their import requirements, starting with Spain, and more returns are expected.

Since China stopped importing waste last year, New Zealand has sent over 10,400 tonnes of waste to Malaysia.

'A return shipment to New Zealand would certainly highlight who is abiding by the rules and who is not,' Sage said.

* 'No doubt' that NZ's recycling is ending up in illegal dumping sites

* Councils committing plastics to landfill as waste market tightens

* China's ban on importing other countries' waste shakes up plastic war

Since China stopped importing waste last year New Zealand has sent over 10,400 tonnes of waste to Malaysia.

* Plans for more onshore waste recycling**

Sage said Malaysia was acting on the illegal smuggling of plastic waste, and she supported their government sending it back.

Eight New Zealand councils have already stopped collecting types 3 - 7 plastics, which must be recycled overseas.

Associate environment minister Eugenie Sage says Malaysia is acting on the illegal smuggling of plastic waste, and she supports them sending it back.

'There may well be others who are actively exploring this option,' Sage said.

Overseas markets for low-value plastics are drying up.

'As a result, some recycling businesses and councils are not prepared to bear the cost of stockpiling unrecyclable product and choosing not to collect it,' Sage said.

Last year Greenpeace photographed 'recycled' packaging in Malaysia, clearly marked as being from New Zealand.

This month Sage announced new template contract guidelines for councils exporting waste, but those guidelines don't advise councils against sending waste to Malaysia.

Sending waste overseas was not a long-term solution to the country's waste problem, she said.

'The goal for our government is to continue to establish onshore infrastructure to process more of our recyclable materials in New Zealand.'

Dumping sites in Malaysia, where most of New Zealand's recycling is sent.

A taskforce set up last year following China's ban on waste imports explored the feasibility of new onshore processing plants.

The taskforce's report recommended investigating new plastic re-processing plants.

New ideas for the country's recycling announced by Sage this month include a stocktake of existing recycling facilities, standardising recycling collection and sorting, and exploring the feasibility of new onshore processing plants.

New Zealand is still one of the highest producers of household waste in the developed world, per capita.

Australia's waste is also being questioned, and Indonesian protesters have held banners reading 'Indonesia is not [your] recycling bin' in a protest called 'Take Your Shit Back From Indonesia'.

Last year, Malaysian visitors hosted by Greenpeace travelled New Zealand to spread the word that rubbish from here is being dumped illegally or being burnt in secret.

The plastic types 3 - 7 which would typically be shipped overseas are used in products such as plumbing fittings, shopping bags, toys, outdoor furniture and polystyrene packaging.