Two Malaysian plastic trade associations have criticised claims by Greenpeace that their country is a ‘dumping ground’ for plastic waste.
Recently, Greenpeace issued a press release that likened Malaysia to a ‘dumping ground’ and that exports of waste plastics from the UK had risen by 63%.
But in a joint statement, the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association and Malaysian Plastic Recyclers Association refuted the Greenpeace claims and noted that exports from the UK had actually fallen from 102,088 tonnes in 2018 to 65,316 tonnes in 2020.
The statement said that Greenpeace had missed “the bigger picture by zooming into just two years’ trade data”.
It added: “It is uncalled for and inaccurate for Greenpeace Malaysia to liken Malaysia to a ‘dumping ground’ when referring to legitimate imports which comply with regulations and laws.
“Legitimate plastics should not be tarred with the same brush as ‘sampah plastik’ (plastic waste).
“Inaccurate statements could destroy the livelihoods of law-abiding Malaysians and the families and loved-ones they support.
“Legal and certified operators import clean, homogenous recyclable scraps and recycle them into valuable materials to support various industries.”
