Group against Jeram incinerator, demands S'gor gov't pushes for 3R policy instead

A pressure group has demanded that the Selangor government pursues a "reduce, reuse and recycle" (3R) policy instead of setting up an incinerator in Jeram.

The KL Tak Nak Incinerator (KTI) group said refusing to pursue a policy to encourage people to reduce waste production was sending a wrong message.

Moreover, group leader Lee Chong Tek told a press conference today, incinerators can pose health problems for those living within the vicinity.

"....don't forget that if you put plastic into (incinerator) burners, and if the temperature does not reach 150 degrees Celsius, it will create a type of dioxin that is cancerous to the people and even can cause miscarriages," Lee said.

Moreover, incinerators have a finite lifespan and were costly to dismantle.

"They get contaminated and the expense to clean up the incinerator is very costly, so at the end of the day, you close it down and build another one. In Japan, you can see a lot of such examples," he said.

Pursuing a 3R policy, coupled with strict enforcement, would instead lead to the public generating less waste, Lee (photo, right) said.

"The authorities have to do their work if people don’t practice 3R (now). If you don’t practise enforcement, people will never be scared," he said.

The Selangor government-owned Worldwide Holdings Bhd and China-based Western Power Clean Energy Sdn Bhd will jointly build an RM1 billion solid waste disposal and treatment system using waste-to-energy (WTE) technology.

When phase one is completed in 2020, it will be able to process 1,200 tonnes of rubbish per day and in turn generate between 20 to 24 megawatts of electricity to power about 24,000 households around the plant.

The plant will be located within the existing Jeram landfill and there is a 3km buffer zone between it and surrounding residential areas.

Lee urged the state government to disclose all Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and site evaluation reports as well as any feedback they received from Jeram residents regarding the incinerator project.

They also questioned if there was an open tender process before the project was awarded to the two companies.

Lee said KTI will engage Jeram residents in the next stage of their campaign to rally the locals.

"They are not organised at the time being, so we are going to assist them. I believe local people power will be the most relevant (in protesting this project)," he said.

KTI was formed to oppose plans by the previous administration to set up an incinerator in Kepong. That campaign was a success.