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May 29, 2019

Malaysia to Send Back "Dumped" Plastic Waste to U.S. and Other Countries
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Malaysia will send up to 3,000 tons of plastic waste back to the
countries it came from, in an attempt to halt wealthier countries from
dumping their used plastic under the guise of recycling. Malaysia became
the world's main dumping ground for plastic refuse after China banned
its importation last year. The plastic is smuggled to unlicensed
recycling plants from countries including the U.S., the U.K., France,
Canada and Australia, and is causing environmental problems for
surrounding communities. This is Malaysian Minister of Energy Yeo Bee
Yin.

Yeo Bee Yin: "So, what the citizens of the U.K. believe that they send
for recycling is actually dumped in our country. … Malaysians, like any
other developing countries, have a right to clean air, clean water,
sustainable resources and clean environment to live in, just like
citizens of developed nations."



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