Lynas: We've followed all rules to make sure plant is safe

The rare earth mining company Lynas said it is prepared to abide by all regulations to ensure that their operations are safe and does not pose a public health risk.

The company’s radiation safety division manager Ismail Bahari said it has always abided by the licensing conditions imposed by the authorities.

He said the company is staffed by many experts who have made this their main concern in their refinery’s operations.

“Lynas is monitored and regulated by government agencies.

“All our experts will ensure that Lynas always abides by its licensing conditions, and to date, Lynas has fulfilled on the licensing conditions imposed,” he told a public hearing with the executive committee on Lynas’ operations in Kuantan today.

Lynas’ opponents had previously urged the Pakatan Harapan government to set up a special committee to review the conditions imposed on the company's rare earth refinery operations in the Gebeng Industrial Zone.

The proposal was made by Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) chairperson Tan Bun Teet, who argued that the review is a matter of importance because it involves the safety and security of people in the district.

The government had agreed and set up the review committee through the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment, and Climate Change.

Meanwhile, Pahang Department of Environment (DOE) director Rosli Zul said in his presentation at the public hearing that Lynas had followed rules imposed by authorities since it began operations.

He said the company followed environmental quality regulations regarding the disposal of scheduled and industrial waste, air quality, and quality monitoring proposed in an Environmental Impact Assessment report.

“In the six years of Lynas operations, the DOE has done some monitoring and took samples from two stations at Sungai Balok and found that the presence of the industry had, in fact, helped a lot.

“For example, the water at Sungai Balok is classified at Class IV, but improves to Class III when it passes through the industrial zone because the water is treated,” he said.

Under the National Water Quality Standards, Class IV river water is regarded as suitable for irrigation use only.

Class III river water can be used for fisheries and livestock drinking, but would require extensive treatment to make it suitable for use in the water supply.

Meanwhile, a Ministry of Health public health expert Dr Nur Aiza Zakaria told the hearing that there had been no increased incidence of cancer, eye inflammations, or respiratory problems amongst the local population that can be linked to Lynas.

She said this is based on the findings and monitoring by 11 public health clinics located near the refinery. - Mkini