Govt pressed to ban imports of toxic waste
Govt pressed to ban imports of toxic waste
JAKARTA (JP): Seventeen environmental, consumer and legal aid
organizations joined hands this weekend to pressure the
government to reimpose the total ban on importing toxic and
hazardous waste.
The organizations, in a joint statement, accused the
government of succumbing to pressures from powerful industry
lobbies to lift the ban it imposed in April 1994.
The 17 signatories include the Indonesian Forum for the
Environment, the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law, the
Indonesian Consumer Agency and the Indonesian Legal Aid
Foundation.
They noted that a number of reservations expressed by
environmental groups and university scholars when the 1994 ban
was announced had been largely ignored. Instead, the government
decided to lift the ban in May, they said.
"That's why we conclude, and fear, that the government is
willing to change environmental law and regulations to
accommodate the interests of certain businesses," they said in
the statement sent to The Jakarta Post yesterday.
State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja announced
earlier this month that the new regulation allows the import of
some toxic waste to ensure the continuity of certain industries.
He gave the example of car battery manufacturers whose basic
material is old batteries. The supply of used batteries from
Indonesia is too small to support the three existing
manufacturers. To ensure their survival, some strictly controlled
imports will be allowed.
The statement by the 17 organizations said the government's
decision to lift the total ban on imported hazardous waste "is a
backward step" and the reason given "unacceptable".
"The economic reason given by the government was not based on
any in-depth study or extensive public debate on finding the
right balance between economic interests and the interests of
environmental preservation and the public health.
"If hazardous waste can be imported for the purpose of
recycling, then Indonesia will become a legitimate dumping ground
for hazardous wastes from other countries, notably from the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development."
The organizations also warned of the difficulties of
monitoring the flow and use of hazardous waste in Indonesia as
well as the potential danger to public health and the environment
in the case of an accident involving such waste.
The 17 organizations said that any changes to environmental
law and regulations should take into account public interest in
addition to that of industry.
They also suggested that the government consult the various
organizations before making any changes. (emb)