Sunday, 28/07/2019 19:04 (GMT+7)
Indonesia plans tighter rules to stem a surge in imports of plastic waste.
Customs officers have uncovered
imports of scrap mixed with other waste such as rubber and diapers.
(Photo: AFP/VNA)
Director General of Foreign Trade at
the Trade Ministry Oke Nuwan told press on July 26th that Indonesia had
notified 15 countries, home to key exporters, of the new checks.
According to the official, Indonesia
will require registry of trash exporters and increase tougher border checks.
He pledged stricter punishment for any
violation of the new rules.
Indonesia has rules aimed at imported
plastic scrap as recommended from the environment ministry and proof of
surveyor checks. However, customs officers have uncovered imports of scrap
mixed with other waste such as rubber and diapers, and have ordered them shipped
back to their home countries.
Data from the statistics agency showed
imports of plastic waste rose 141 percent last year to 283,000 tonnes, after
China decided not to import the waste to clean up its environment from January
2018.
Indonesia is struggling to deal with
its own waste, which often goes into landfills or seeps into rivers. The
country is the second biggest contributor of plastic pollutants in the ocean, a
2015 study in the journal Science showed. To cut pollution, Indonesia also
sought a levy on plastic bags but the parliament delayed the move, following
industry complains./.
CPV/VNA