Abandoned waste tyre imports in Penang may have consequences
Dodgy Deals May have Serious Outcome
In 2018, Malaysia banned the import of waste plastics as it became a dumping ground for the excess waste created by the impending Chinese ban on imports. At the time there were also questions raised about the import of waste tyres.
The issue of abandoned containers of waste tyre material at Penang follows complaints going back several years about waste being abandoned at Port Klang.
Sources close to the problem suggest that there may be consequences – reclassification of tyres as hazardous waste, shippers increasing transport costs to reduce the likelihood of fraudulent trade, or even refusing to carry tyre shipments, but more seriously for both importers and exporters to Malaysia – there is now a real risk that the ban on waste plastics may be extended to include waste tyres.
There is an investigation in Malaysia into the activities of the importer, and legal action may be taken. However, the wheels of justice grind slowly in Malaysia and it may be some time before the outcome is confirmed.
