Comments from the head of Sri Lanka’s Customs Department have gained global media coverage this week, suggesting that the country is seeking to repatriate more than 100 containers of waste to countries including the UK.
Sri Lanka’s director of customs, Sunil Jayarathna, was reported as having said that the waste, which may date back to 2017, included mattresses, clothing and plastics as well as some hazardous materials including syringes and allegedly some ‘human remains from mortuaries’.
Environment Agency
However, the Environment Agency told letsrecycle.com today (25 July) that it has yet to be notified of any containers that are to be returned to the UK and said it is seeking more information on the content and likely origin of the containers from the Sri Lankan authorities in order to formally investigate the claims.
An Environment Agency 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 or 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.”
The incident comes less than two months after authorities in Malaysia said that they would be looking to repatriate a number of containers of mixed plastic waste to countries including Australia, the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China and Bangladesh (see letsrecycle.com story).
Despite naming the UK as one of the original sources of some of the material, it is not believed that the Malaysian authorities has yet returned any waste to the UK.
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