KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Britain has agreed to take back 42 containers comprising illegal shipment of plastic waste from Malaysia in accordance with the Basel Convention, said both governments Monday.
The Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) in Malaysia and the British High Commission said in a joint statement that authorities and shipping agents were currently working together in the repatriation process.
The containers, which had arrived at Malaysia's Penang Port between March 2018 and March 2019, were deemed illegal as they failed to comply with the necessary import papers, according to the statement.
The announcement came following a recent visit by the British Environment Agency (EA) organized by the British High Commission in response to news of the illegal shipment of plastic waste from Britain.
MESTECC Minister Yeo Bee Yin said that the British High Commission's proactive action of working closely with the ministry in repatriating 42 plastic import containers in Penang Port was highly commendable.
"This cooperation signifies a recognition that plastic pollution is a global issue which requires commitment from various countries to address the problem," she added.
She also hoped the cooperation and understanding between the both countries would set an example for other countries with companies exporting contaminated plastic waste to other developing nations.
British High Commissioner to Malaysia Charles Hay also said that the British government shared the same concerns as the Malaysian government on the issue of plastic waste.
"The repatriation of these 42 containers reflects our commitment to fighting the illegal plastic waste trade. We look forward to working with Malaysia on the broader agenda of conserving the environment and addressing climate change, particularly with the UK becoming the joint chair of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change next year," he added.
