Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the government will introduce new requirements for approved permits (AP) on plastic waste imports including a levy of RM15 for every tonne. ― Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LANGAT, Sept 25 — The government will introduce new requirements for approved permits (AP) on plastic waste imports including a levy of RM15 for every tonne.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said one of the news terms was for the importing company to get approval from the Department of Environment, apart from having to submit information on the source from which it purchased the plastic waste.

She said the measures were necessary so as to better manage the problem of pollution from plastic waste processing factories.

She added that companies that were seeking to apply for the AP also needed approval from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).

“The AP application for importing plastic waste has been frozen for now and will only reopen on Oct 23, and for companies seeking to apply, they must comply with the new rules,” she told a news conference after attending a meeting related to complaints of unprocessed plastic waste from unlicensed factories, here today.

Zuraida said that the introduction of levies will also be imposed on the same date, adding that earlier, there was no levy for the import of plastic waste.

She added that ministry records showed that 234 AP applications (for plastic waste) were received. There were 114 companies that were active but only 51 companies had approval from MIDA.

Of the 54 plastic waste processing factories in the Kuala Langat district, only 13 factories had valid licences.

“Unlicensed factories will be closed and a meeting will be held next week with owners of such factories in finding the best way to dispose of the plastic waste in their premises,” she said.

Zuraida said that she would in future instruct all licensed plastic waste processing factories to be relocated to heavy industrial areas as such factories should not operate near residential areas.

Recently a local newspaper reported of serious pollution from such factories and that residents in Kuala Langat especially in Telok Panglima Garang, were exposed to the risk of various diseases including cancer.

It also added that country was becoming one of the hubs to process plastic waste from other countries. — Bernama