space Press Releases, News Stories

by Greenpeace International

Australian authorities confirmed to Greenpeace that the waste had been illegally exported from Australia, without proper permits as required under Australia's Hazardous Waste (Exports and Imports) Amendment Act. Australian authorities failed to prosecute the trader or the exporting company due to loopholes in the Australian legislation which make it impossible to prosecute foreign companies.

"Australia continues to deny its responsibility for dumping toxic waste on developing countries," Greenpeace campaigner Matt Ruchel. "The Hong Kong Government finds this practice illegal, why doesn't the Australian Government?"

The Hong Kong company Bright Metal Co Ltd was yesterday convicted, and fined HK$40,000, for illegally importing "controlled waste" without a permit into Hong Kong from Australia last September.

On September 22, 1997, Greenpeace alerted the Hong Kong authorities to three containers of hazardous computer scrap on board the freighter Zim Sydney at Hong Kong's No.6 Kwai Chung International Terminal, presumed to be on its way to mainland China.

Hong Kong Customs seized the shipment and the Environment Protection Department confirmed the cargo contained hazardous substances. The Government charged Bright Metal Co. (HK) Ltd. with "importing controlled waste without a permit".

Hong Kong has become a favoured trans-shipment port for traders in hazardous waste. The waste, mainly from industrialised countries such as Australia, the USA, Germany, the Netherlands and USA is shipped through Hong Kong to China and other developing countries to avoid higher disposal costs in the west.

Many Asian countries lack the environmental regulations, facilities and awareness of the dangers of these materials, and their citizens are often unwillingly and unknowingly exposed to extremely dangerous toxins.

Earlier this month at the conclusion of an international meeting, the Fourth Conference of Parties (COPIV) to the Basel Convention, more than 100 countries agreed to move rapidly to ratify the already internationally agreed Basel Ban, prohibiting the export of hazardous waste from developed to developing countries.

"Australia has still not ratified the Basel Ban and has resisted all calls to do so," said Ruchel

"The successful prosecution of Bright Metal Co. in Hong Kong highlights the inadequacies of the Australian legislation. The Australian Government has run out of excuses for not fully implementing the Basel Ban and stop the dumping of Australian hazardous waste on our Asian neighbours," said Ruchel.