UK Government stands with Malaysia on the issue of illegal trade in plastic waste

The UK Government has issued a statement outlining its position regarding Malaysia’s shipping back of thousands of tonnes of illegally exported plastic waste.

In a statement, the Government said: “The British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is deeply concerned about the illegal trade in plastic waste. This includes recent reports of potentially illegal plastic waste exported from the UK to Malaysia.”

“While we recognise that there is a legitimate export market for plastics, particularly for countries that manufacture new products out of recycled plastic waste, we condemn companies which export unrecyclable plastic waste illegally, as well as companies which import recyclable waste but fail to recycle of dispose of the waste in a responsible and sustainable manner.”

“To tackle illegal waste exports from the UK, the Environment Agency works closely with businesses that export waste to countries such as Malaysia to ensure that waste exported for recycling is uncontaminated and only sent to overseas facilities that are correctly licensed and able to recycle it correctly.”

“There are a range of enforcement options for those found exporting waste illegally including criminal and financial sanctions. Individuals found to be exporting incorrectly described waste can face a two-year jail term or an unlimited fine.”