The Environment Agency has requested more information from the Sri Lankan authorities to allow an investigation to be launched into illegal waste exports, after customs authorities in the south Asian country said it had begun repatriating 21 containers of waste back to the UK.
A container ship docked at the port at Colombo
Yesterday, 27 September, Sri Lankan customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne was reported to have said that it had begun shipping the “illegal” waste back to the UK the previous day and “compensation from those responsible” is being sought.
He added that the imported waste breached international and EU laws on hazardous waste shipments.
‘Hazardous’
The containers are thought to date back as far back as 2017, and allegedly contain mattresses, clothing and plastics as well as some hazardous materials including syringes and some ‘human remains from mortuaries’.
In 2019, Mr Jayaratne said that Sri Lanka was preparing to repatriate more than 100 containers of waste from across the world which had been brought into the country (see letsrecycle.com story).
The Sri Lankan Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), an off-shoot of Friends of the Earth, launched legal action in July 2019 to get the waste repatriated back to the UK.
On its website, the group summarised the waste as containing used cushions and mattress, plant parts, plastic waste and other uncategorized and hazardous waste into the country from the United Kingdom. It added that this was imported “with the intention of disposing waste within the country in the guise of importing permitted consignment of waste”.
Several issues were raised in the case including “severe damage to environment, severe threats on the health of the general public of the country”.
Also, the local population could be “exposed to several health risks due to the pathogens in the clinic or other waste found in the imported waste. This could also have negative impacts on the bio-diversity,” the case said.
“Therefore, CEJ requested to grant a writ of Mandamus to re-export these waste containers to United Kingdom and prosecute the official employees of the department of customs and Central Environment Authority under the section 289 of penal code,” the group added.
Inspections
The Environment Agency in response says it routinely carries out proactive and intelligence led inspections to stop waste shipments that breach the regulations before they leave UK ports. It also said it works closely with those who export waste to ensure they act within regulations.
“We are in contact with the Sri Lankan authorities and have requested more information”
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “We are committed to tackling illegal waste exports, which is why individuals found to be exporting incorrectly described waste can face a two year jail term and an unlimited fine.
“We are in contact with the Sri Lankan authorities and have requested more information which would allow us to launch a formal investigation.”
Conference
Waste Crime will be on the agenda at the Virtual Waste Crime Conference, to be held on the 22 October. More information can be found here.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
