99 Illegal Scheduled Waste Disposal Complaints Recorded To Date - Nik Nazmi

PORT DICKSON, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) through the Department of Environment (DOE) has recorded 99 complaints regarding the illegal disposal of scheduled waste nationwide as of today.

Its Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said that of the total, 13 cases were found to have strong grounds and enforcement action had been taken.

He said that therefore, his ministry is committed to overcoming the issue, including refining the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974, phase two, to take into account new matters and challenges in environmental legislation, thus ensuring that it is more effective.

“That is why (to overcome) we have made amendments to EQA, previously the maximum fine was only RM100,000, now it is RM10 million and there is a mandatory five-year prison sentence, towards 2025, we are in the process of further strengthening DOE.

"The first phase of punishment under EQA originated in the 1970s and so there may be new challenges that need to be taken into account (in the act)...we are now getting input, engaging management and so on," he told reporters after inspecting the illegal scheduled waste disposal location with Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun here today.

Nik Nazmi also reminded the industry that strict action under EQA 1974 will be imposed on any premises that continue to pollute the environment which will certainly have an impact on the environment and the public.

Regarding the discovery of the scheduled waste disposal site, Nik Nazmi said the investigation found that there were two locations that were used as illegal disposal sites located approximately 200 metres from each other.

He said there were about 800 drums and Intermediate Bulk Containers tanks believed to contain chemical waste that was illegally disposed of at both locations, which were protected behind a three-metre-wall.

“Based on the results of waste sample analysis from the Chemistry Department, it was found that the illegally disposed waste was suspected to comprise liquids containing used solvent compounds as well as solid materials and containers contaminated with chemicals and scheduled waste,” he said.

He said the process of transferring waste from the first location to a temporary storage area was fully completed with the assistance of the landowner, while the waste at the second location was in the process of being cleaned up as there was no access road to the area and it is estimated to cost nearly RM1.2 million for the clean-up.

In another development, he said the government’s decision to examine the recommendations from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study to build high banks along the entire coastal area to overcome flooding would certainly take into account the impact on the environment.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was previously reported to have said that the proposal, which was raised around 20 years ago, could be implemented after the Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB) project across the country was completed.

-- BERNAMA