The Australian Government is cracking down on the illegal export of hazardous waste, fining a company almost $20,000 for hiding e-waste in a container exported to Singapore.
The container, shipped by Melbourne-based e-waste recycling company Weeebytes Pty Ltd, was intercepted by Singapore authorities on 24 March 2025.
The shipment included large quantities of crushed hard drives, printed circuit boards, solar inverters, lithium-ion batteries, electrical power sources and old transmitters.
The e-waste was hidden behind other goods and not properly declared by Weeebytes. The company was aware of export requirements for hazardous waste but did not obtain an export permit under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989.
Weeebytes was required to return the container to Australia, arrange for lawful disposal of the e-waste at their own expense and to pay a fine of $19,800 for the export of hazardous waste without a permit.
Quotes attributable to a departmental spokesperson:
"The Australian Government takes the export of hazardous e-waste without a permit very seriously.
"Many electrical products contain hazardous substances including heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium, and flame retardants, many of which are persistent organic pollutants.
"If disposed of improperly, these substances can enter drinking water and soil, leading to serious human health concerns.
"The department is strengthening its monitoring and detection capabilities to disrupt and respond to the illegal export of regulated waste.
"We are conducting more port inspections, inspecting license holders and working with partners such as Australian Border Force, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and state Environment Protection Agencies to identify suspicious consignments earlier.
"Individuals or organisations found to have illegally exported regulated waste can face significant penalties."
