Malaysia bans import of plastic waste

Malaysia has announced an immediate and  permanent ban on the import of plastic waste.

Also, the country will be phasing out the import of other types of plastic within three years, local media report.

The decision was made in a meeting between Malaysia’s Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

Prior to this, the Malaysian government had imposed a three-month freeze on issuing permits for the import of plastic waste.