Batam, dumping site for plastic waste

Batam, dumping site for plastic waste

BATAM, Riau: The island of Batam has recently become a dumping site for plastic waste from Australia before it is sent to Jakarta by sea for recycling.

"I myself saw the dumping of some 300 tons of plastic waste allegedly from Australia. It is said demand for polyethylene is on the rise in Jakarta," a scavenger, Alek, said here on Friday.

Alek said a number of foreign companies had imported waste from the country despite the fact the island had enough plastic waste to dispose of.

Chief of the local sanitation office, Edeng Rahmat, revealed the import of the waste was illegal as his office had never issued a permit to dump plastic waste from Australia.

Edeng said he was worried that the waste contained harmful substances but added some investors from Australia had explored the possibility of investing in waste-recycling plants on the Island in July--Antara