Indonesia to return hazardous waste to countries of origin
Indonesia is set to send 79 containers of hazardous materials back to Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US beginning in January, the country’s Government recently revealed.
A container of imported waste at the Port of Batu Ampar in Batam city, Indonesia (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia is set to send 79 containersof hazardous materials back to Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USbeginning in January, the country’s Government recently revealed.
Ina statement published on December 24, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said it summonedthe envoys of the four countries to notify them about the plan on December 23.
Theministry’s director general of American and European affairs, Ngurah Swajaya,said the measure was in accordance with international law, namely the BaselConvention on the Control of the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastesand their Disposal. The treaty was designed to reduce the movements of hazardousmaterials between nations, specifically to prevent the transfer of hazardouswaste from developed to less developed countries.
Hetold the ambassadors that under the Basel Convention, cross-country importscontaining toxic waste are not allowed, and the Indonesian Government must returnit to the origin country.
The 79 containers, verified by variousgovernment agencies, are part of the total 107 containers that had beenconfiscated by Indonesian authorities because they contained hazardous waste. Theremaining 28 containers will be re-examined, according to the official.
Thecontainers were confiscated in 2019, during which Indonesia, together withother Southeast Asian nations faced a surge in shipments of plastic waste fromdeveloped countries to developing nations following China’s decision to ban theimport of 24 types of waste materials./.
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A container of imported waste at the Port of Batu Ampar in Batam city, Indonesia (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
