Malaysia to charge toxic waste importer

Malaysia to charge toxic waste importer

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will charge a company which allegedly imported thousands of tonnes of toxic industrial waste illegally from Taiwan last year, a report said on Monday.

The Department of Environment has sufficient evidence to press charges against Synenviro Sdn Bhd, based in southern Johor state, Deputy Environment Minister S. Sothinathan was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.

Investigations into the case have been completed and the papers have been submitted to the attorney general for legal action, he said.

The department could no longer wait for the Taiwan authorities to provide more information to identify the source of the toxic waste as much time had been wasted on this, Sothinathan said.

Last September, a Taiwan team of investigators held talks with the government on taking the waste back to Taiwan, the report said.

A total of 233 containers filled with 5,500 tones of toxic waste were discovered in June last year and are now stored at Johor Port while 1,404 tonnes of the waste in 996 barrels are kept at a factory in Johor.

If convicted, importers of toxic waste can be fined up to 500,000 ringgit (US$132,000) or jailed up to five years. -- AFP