EU vocal about palm oil but silent on plastic waste - DAP Youth leader
A DAP leader has questioned the movement of plastic waste and slammed the European Union for its inaction on the matter.
"While Malaysia has an uncompromising stance in handling the transboundary movement of illegal plastic waste, what is the role played by the EU?" asked DAP Youth international secretary Satees Muniandy...
A DAP leader has questioned the movement of plastic waste and slammed the European Union for its inaction on the matter.
"While Malaysia has an uncompromising stance in handling the transboundary movement of illegal plastic waste, what is the role played by the EU?" asked DAP Youth international secretary Satees Muniandy.
As Satees told Malaysiakini today, that despite having had legislation to tackle the illegal export of hazardous materials since 2016, the EU has been unable to control its industries from sending its waste to less developed countries.
"Where are the ethics of the EU? The EU made it a point to fight palm oil in the name of championing the environment, but lacks the will to stop those industries from exporting hazardous waste.
"Malaysia’s fight against the transboundary movement of hazardous, plastic waste will become futile if the EU doesn’t play its role sincerely," he said.
Satees said it was not just a matter of legislative obligations for the EU, but also a "moral and ethical obligation" to step up enforcement against the illegal export of plastic waste from European shores.
Until and unless the EU tackles the industries exporting polluting waste, he stressed, it should not gloat about the climate action that it aims to achieve in short and long term.
"Will the newly elected members of the European Parliament take this matter seriously?" he asked.
Last week, Environment, Science, Technology and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin reminded polluting agents that Malaysia will not compromise with transboundary plastic waste movement into the country.
Read more: 60 containers of plastic waste imported by 'traitors' to be sent back
Today, Yeo vowed to return 60 containers of unwanted materials to their countries of origin.
The move is based on the Environmental Quality Act 1974, which makes it mandatory for such waste to be sent back, failing which polluters will be brought to court.
Under the same act, those involved in bringing in illegal plastic waste are liable to a maximum fine of RM100,000 or imprisonment of up to five years.
"This is the kind of leadership we need to fight these polluters," said Satees, who has been actively highlighting illegal dumpsites in Penang too.
"While the top leadership is in a serious fight against the plastic waste dumping, Malaysians’ sincere wish is to see such enthusiasm on the ground too."
Pressure on the EU
Satees called on Malaysia and Asean to be stern enough to stop polluters, and continue to exert pressure on the EU to own up to the mess their industries have created in this region.
Satees cited the EU passing a resolution in 2017 on deforestation, which explicitly targeted palm oil as a major cause, and singled out Indonesia and Malaysia as major contributors.
Although the resolution also spoke about other commodities such as vegetable oils, the ultimate impact of the resolution, he said, has been to "demonise" palm oil-producing countries.
"As a result of the resolution, the European Commission is undertaking measures to ensure that the use of palm oil should go to zero percent by 2021, starting with palm oil biofuel.
"The EU is using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a basis for this move.
"While I have some reservations about the palm oil industry myself, I too believe that the EU's hypocrisy in matters related to the global environmental issues should be exposed at this point."
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