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Waste do Malaysia import (PLASTIC WASTE IMPORT TO MALAYSIA (. The waste…
Waste do Malaysia import
PLASTIC WASTE IMPORT TO MALAYSIA
. The waste came from 19 countries including US, UK and Australia which are found by investigating packaging labels at dumpsites
Malaysia became the top destination for U.S. plastic waste, importing more than 192,000 metric tons in the first 10 months of 2018
The Malaysian plastic recycling industry is overwhelmed by the influx and cannot accommodate the waste in a way that is sustainable and acceptable by the government’s own standards.
Since China banned plastic waste imports in January 2018, countries in Southeast Asia – particularly Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia – have accepted an increased amount of plastic waste.
EFFECTS OF THE PLASTIC POLLUTION
Images of black smoke billowing from burning plastic and plastic trash mountains are far from the promotional material Tourism Malaysia needs.
One badly-hit town is Jenjarom, in the Kuala Langat area near Klang, Selangor. The burning plastic which can release toxic dioxins and carbon monoxide has caused residents to have difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, fatigue and itchy, watery eyes.
Burning plastic waste poses a significant health risk to nearby communities, with some residents already complaining of respiratory illnesses allegedly caused by the haze and pollution coming from open air burning.
Water runoff from dumpsites also killed all the prawns at a local prawn farm. Leaking plastic waste can contaminate soil and waterways with toxic heavy metals (used as pigments) and an alphabet soup of various chemicals (eg POPs, PBTs, PCBs).
ACTION TAKEN TOWARDS THE PLASTIC IMPORT FROM OTHERS
The public also play a part in reporting illegal activity. Local residents of Kuala Langat worked hard to uncover the evidence such as recorded the location of the factories with GPS devices and took pictures by renting a drone to fly overhead. They also collected water samples from dumpsites with chemical-grade gloves.
The government has uncovered 97 illegal factories, some were promptly shut down. Licensed factories will also be scrutinised while a temporary ban on the import of plastic waste remains.
Rules are being finalized for a partial ban on plastic waste imports that will reportedly allow only uncontaminated, easily recyclable waste from industrialized countries.
new Malaysian government announced in October it's banning the import of plastic scrap and cracking down on factories that process such waste illegally. The country is not alone in taking a tougher stance against plastic scrap imports
HOW PLASTIC POLLUTION OCCUR
The plastic is burned on roadsides in the open-air, dumped in unregulated or poorly regulated dump sites close to bodies of water, discarded in abandoned buildings or just left to degrade and rot in the open.
Plastic is generally a durable material. Its durability has made the culprit of the problem since it is considered resistant to natural biodegradation processes
HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE
The government is phasing out plastic shopping bags, starting with charging a fee on them and would give discounts to customers who reuse shopping bags
Ban on straws dispensed at restaurants in Malaysia’s federal territories that takes effect in 2020.
Plastic may cause pollution when poorly managed but it has lots of advantages too, such as being resistant. Many plastic items can therefore be reused or used for different purposes. Before throwing plastic items, it is important to consider how they can be reused.
Another crucial solution is education in order to increase awareness and behavioral change.