Seven containers full of hazardous and toxic waste owned by PT Arya Wiraraja Plastinindo have been sent back by the Batam Customs Office in Riau to France and Hong Kong.
42 more containers will be returned to their countries of origin from Batu Ampar Port in Riau islands.
The seven containers were loaded to the Capricorn 97.210 vessel by Batam Customs Office workers. The loading was witnessed by representatives of the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the Riau Islands Police, the Batam district prosecutors office, and local environment agencies.
The seven containers were first taken to Singapore in a four-hour trip, before continuing their journey to Hong Kong and France.
“This is the first day we have sent containers back to their original countries. The other containers are still in the process of being re-exported,” Susila Brata, head of Batam Customs, said. The authorities have given importers 90 days from their arrival date to send 49 containers back to their countries of origin in order to avoid prosecution.
Rima Yulianti, Head of the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s toxic waste notification section, has revealed that the plastic scraps in the containers were contaminated by toxic and hazardous materials such as heavy metals.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Image: NDTV