Yeo: Govt won’t pay to return imported waste

All for the environment: Yeo and Chow launching the Penang International Green Conference and Exhibition 2019 at Gurney Paragon Mall.

GEORGE TOWN: The Federal Government will not bear any cost to send illegal waste-filled containers back to the countries of origin, said Yeo Bee Yin.

The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister said her ministry had been working closely with the Penang government and had contacted the respective embassies to return the waste to the companies and countries in charge.

“It’s not just about the cost. It’s about dignity.

“Why do they send things to us and we still need to pay them to send them back?

“The senders should be responsible for paying the fine for importing illegal waste until they have collected back their waste, ” she told reporters after opening the 8th edition of Penang International Green Conference and Exhibition 2019, together with Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow here yesterday.

Yeo said representatives from the United Kingdom arrived in Penang a few days ago to identify the owners of 42 out of the 265 40-foot containers, filled with plastic waste found abandoned at the North Butterworth Container Terminal since January this year.

“Identifying the senders is not an issue but the procedure itself would take some time, ” she said.

On another matter, Yeo said the Federal Government would provide any necessary support for the Penang government in mitigating the rising sea level due to climate change.

She said the state government already has plans for making Penang a climate-resilient state.

“We fully support whatever planning that comes with climate resilience or carbon reduction, one way or another, ” she said.

Earlier, in her opening speech, Yeo announced that the Federal Government has provided incentives to Penang to catalyse the use of renewable energy in Malaysia and attract more students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education. — Bernama