"KARUNG GUNI" TRADE

"KARUNG GUNI" TRADE

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(Regulations): **

23.

Mr Zainudin Nordin asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether the "karung guni" trade is regulated by law; (b) which agency is responsible for the enforcement against errant "karung guni" traders; and (c) if the data on volume and quantity of products and items recycled by these traders are captured by the National Environment Agency.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Karung guni traders collect old newspapers, clothing and used appliances such as refrigerators, TVs and washing machines, etc, from households and pay them a fee for these items. Most of these items are then either sold as second-hand goods or sold to local factories for processing or to exporters who send them to overseas recycling plants.

Many karung guni traders typically operate alone as self-employed and may not be registered as businesses. As their operations do not pose any public health concerns, the National Environment Agency (NEA) does not regulate or license karung guni traders. However, if the karung guni traders commit an offence in the course of their activities, the relevant authorities will take action against them, eg, the Police will take action for criminal offences.

NEA does not collect statistics on the volume or quantity of items specifically collected by the karung guni traders. Items collected by the karung guni traders which are re-sold as second-hand goods are taken out of the waste stream and not included in our waste statistics. Other items, like plastics and old newspapers, which are sold for recycling, are included in our recycling figures.

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