Customs office rebuked over waste

Customs office rebuked over waste

JAKARTA: State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar
urged the excise and customs office on Wednesday to be honest and
cautious in screening imported raw materials following two recent
instances of toxic waste entering through Indonesian ports.

"We do not want this to happen again, especially with many
developed countries believing they can just dump their toxic
waste here," the minister said on the sidelines of a water and
waste exhibition.

He also said Indonesia was still not accustomed to promoting
environment sustainability.

Rachmat was commenting on the recent imports of toxic waste
from Singapore and the United Kingdom. While the UK agreed to
take the waste back, Singapore has refused to do so, claiming the
waste was not hazardous.

Police are questioning executives from fertilizer firm PT Asia
Pacific Eco Lestari, which imported the waste from Singapore. The
government has also asked the Swiss-based Basel Convention, which
rules on toxic waste movements, to intervene in the case and rule
on Singapore's refusal to take back the waste. --JP