Sri Lanka sends back 21 containers full of ‘recycling’ to UK because it was full of rotting MEDICAL WASTE
- Previous illegal containers had rags, bandages and body parts from mortuaries
- The 260 tonnes of rubbish first arrived in capital Colombo’s main port in 2017
- Another 242 containers from Britain remain abandoned at the same port
Sri Lanka has shipped 21 containers full of ‘recycling’ back to the UK because it was full of rotting medical waste.
The Sri Lankan government said container-loads of waste were brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material.
Previous illegally imported containers had included rags, bandages and body parts from mortuaries, according to officials.
The 21 containers (pictured) were holding up to 260 tonnes of rubbish were brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material
The type of hospital waste was not revealed, but they departed Sri Lanka on Saturday according to customs.
The 21 containers were holding up to 260 tonnes of rubbish and had first arrived by ship in the capital Colombo’s main port between September 2017 and March 2018.
The containers were meant to carry used mattresses, carpets and rugs, but had also contained hospital waste, officials said.
Customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne said: ‘The shipper had agreed to take back these 21 containers.
‘We are working to secure compensation from those responsible for getting the containers into the country.’
Another 242 containers from Britain remain abandoned at the same port and at a free trade zone outside the capital.
The illegal waste first arrived by ship in the capital Colombo’s main port (pictured) between September 2017 and March 2018
The government said they were carrying illegal garbage in violation of international law and also arrived between 2017 and 2018.
The government is currently engaged in legal action against the shipper to have the 242 containers removed from the country.
A Sri Lankan investigation last year into nearly 3,000 tonnes of illegally imported hazardous waste found the importer had reshipped about 180 tonnes to India and Dubai.
In the past two years several Asian countries have turned back container-loads of waste from foreign shores.