Indonesia has identified two Singaporeans suspected of importing 87 containers of plastic scrap without permits, as the country tightens the screws on imported foreign waste.
The Singaporeans, identified by their initials KWL and LSW, are a director and a commissioner of Advance Recycle Company that is based in Tangerang, Banten province, said the Environment and Forestry Ministry's director-general for law enforcement Rasio Ridho Sani.
Both had allegedly imported the containers of plastic scrap without permits from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and Spain. The containers arrived at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta on June 13, Mr Rasio added.
Investigators found plastic scrap contaminated with toxic and hazardous goods, including printed circuit boards, used batteries and cables, in the containers.
"The naming of the two Singaporeans as suspects in the importation of waste and hazardous waste without permits is the first since the law on environment protection and management was passed in 2009," Mr Rasio told The Straits Times in a text message.
He said the authorities will take strict actions against those who import hazardous materials without permits. This is to prevent Indonesia from becoming "a dump site" for other countries, and to protect both the people and the environment.
Under the law, criminal charges can be applied in cases of illegal hazardous waste imports, with a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison and a fine of 15 billion rupiah (S$1.5 million).
The ministry is also investigating another case involving Advance Recycle Technology, which was alleged to have illegally processed waste tainted by toxic and hazardous materials, such as zinc oxide and nickel compound, in Tangerang, Mr Rasio said.
The case, if proven, will see the culprit being given a jail sentence of up to three years and a fine of up to 3 billion rupiah.
The company could not be reached for comment.
Indonesia is the world's second-largest plastic waste polluter after China. After China's ban on imports of foreign plastic waste last year, Indonesia, South-east Asia's biggest economy, became one of the top destinations for plastic waste from developed nations.
Official figures show imports last year were more than double the 2017 level, at 320,450 tonnes. The largest shippers were the Marshall Islands, the United States, Germany, Australia and Japan.
The trend has continued throughout the first half of this year, with imports surging by 76.6 per cent to 176,517 tonnes from the same period last year.
Mr Deni Surjantoro, spokesman for Indonesia's Customs and excise office, told The Straits Times on Aug 29 that his office has been monitoring waste imports closely.
"Based on our past examinations, there was waste contaminated by toxic and hazardous materials or mixed with rubbish. In the future, we will continue checks while reviewing our import policies with related ministries," he said.
From June to mid-September this year, the authorities sent back 208 containers of plastic waste and used paper contaminated with toxic and hazardous materials or mixed with garbage to their origin countries, including Australia, New Zealand and the US, according to the Customs and excise office.
It is preparing another 339 containers for re-export.
