Indonesia Warns Rich Countries Against Making It Dumping Ground
- U.S. identified by Indonesian officials as worst offender
- Australian billionaire dragged into illegal waste issue
A man stands next to one of 65 containers full of imported plastic rubbish at the Batu Ampar port in Batam.
Photographer: Andaru/AFP via Getty Images
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Indonesia said it will crack down on trash imported from the world’s richest countries after closer inspections showed it’s increasingly the recipient of toxic waste materials.
Authorities at ports have boosted checks after a random inspection in May led to the discovery of more than 80 containers containing illegal waste from the U.S., Australia and Europe. One of Australia’s richest men has been dragged into the furor after a media report alleged a company he owned was responsible for a shipment that contained materials considered toxic under Indonesian law.