The Solomon Islands government says it is still committed to a plan to import toxic waste from Taiwan under a deal that promises an upfront payment of 200 million US dollars.
The proposal has been criticised for possibly violating the Waigani Convention which bans to importation of such waste into the Pacific Islands region.
The Solomon Islands trade minister, Edward Hunuehu, has confirmed that cabinet has approved the dumping plan under some conditions.
"there was a cabinet decision really to reissue the license at the same time to continue with the risk assessment undertaking and also to call for an independent environment impact assessment"
Edward Hunuehu
Meanwhile, a foreign ministry spokesperson in Taipei, Chang Siao-yue, says Taiwan's environmental protection agency rejected an application by the company Primeval Forests three months ago for such industrial waste to be exported.
While it is not clear whether the company has disbanded, the spokeswoman says the same group of businesspeople still wants to dump the waste in either Australia or Solomon Islands.
SOLS MONEY
the same group of people they are still trying to export this but the government position is very very clear we do not allow any waste which is harmful to the environment we do not allow this kind of things to be exported because we have the technology to process them to make sure it's not harmful the only thing involved I guess is money
Chang Siao-yue
