Many countries have begun to tighten restrictions on waste paper imports. This is due to the high levels of contamination found in the waste supplied for recycling. Such contamination complicates the recycling process for print paper cuttings, other types of waste paper, and various secondary raw materials. Malaysia, for instance, has recently joined the ranks of these countries. Waste is shipped there from the USA, and Malaysian authorities have discovered significant contamination in these shipments—something that has caused considerable outrage. Why turn Malaysia into a dumping ground? The country is willing to accept waste paper, provided it is not contaminated, so that it can be successfully recycled and transformed into material that benefits society.
We believe it is unacceptable to ship a contaminated product to a waste paper buyer. The measures taken by various national authorities to ensure the receipt of clean waste are entirely justified. They do not want their territories turned into landfills, as contaminated waste is essentially just ordinary trash; it cannot be processed into a product usable by recyclers. Undoubtedly, a waste paper supplier must ensure the cleanliness of the product being delivered. They must be held accountable for knowingly selling secondary raw materials that cannot be recycled due to contamination.
