Environment Agency manages the return of waste to the UK
The repatriation of 150 waste containers from Malaysia to 13 countries, including 42 containers to the UK has been in the news this week, covered by Sky News, The Times, Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The i, (p.6) and BBC News Online.
Since receiving a formal repatriation request last year, the Environment Agency (EA) has been working with the Malaysian authorities to ensure the waste containers are returned to England as soon as possible. A number of containers have already been returned to English ports. The returned waste is the responsibility of those who exported the waste and must be handled in accordance with UK regulations.
Many of the outlets reported that shipments of waste have been redirected to Malaysia following the China waste ban in 2018, which halted the import of plastic waste to the country’s shores. In a recent press conference, the Malaysian Environment Minister criticised those who flout environmental regulations by exporting waste illegally.
The EA has been working hard to tackle illegal exports – anyone found to be exporting waste illegally can face a two year jail term and an unlimited fine. In 2018/19 the EA inspected nearly 1000 shipping containers at ports and returned over 200 of those to sites. During the same period the EA’s teams also prevented over 12,500 tonnes of waste from reaching ports which may otherwise have been illegally exported without our increasing focus on upstream intervention.
An Environment Agency spokesperson, said:
We continue to work with the shipping lines and Malaysian authorities to ensure all waste is brought back as soon as possible. We are working hard to stop illegal waste exports from leaving our shores in the first place – last year we prevented over 12,500 tonnes of waste that might have been illegally exported from reaching ports, and inspected nearly 1,000 shipping containers. Anyone found guilty of exporting waste illegally can face a two year jail term and an unlimited fine.
Read more information on the EA’s work on illegal exports on our website.
2 comments
Comment by William Hughes-Games posted on
ps. I have never had anyone respond to my comments. It just doesn't happen. There is always someone. What do you actually do with submitted comments.
Comment by William Hughes-Games posted on
This whole kerfuffle, not to mention unnecessary expense over what to do with our plastic waste is so so unnecessary. All plastic wastes, dirty or clean, can be pyrolized and turned into LPG, gasoline, diesel fuel and air liner kerosene. If it is deemed worthwhile sending this waste to China, surly it would be financially feasible to send it to a local pyrolysis unit. Better still. pyrolysis can also dispose of used rubber tires, wood waste, tallow and a whole raft of other waste streams. Of great importance is to credit the pyrolysis unit with externalities. That is to say, the cost of not getting rid of such wastes. https://mtkass.blogspot.com/2019/09/pyrolysis.html