S.Veerapan looking at the contaminated Sg Anak Air Garam.
SEREMBAN: The Department of Environment (DOE) has shut down a second illegal recycling premises within 24 hours, as it continues probe into the dumping of waste believed to be sludge from used oil recycling activities into Sg Anak Air Garam here.
On Wednesday (Dec 11) evening, the DoE had shut down an illegal recycling factory in Rasah, which was found to have stored some 1,000 tonnes of used fuel oil allegedly brought in from Singapore.
On Thursday (Dec 12) morning, a second premise was sealed after DOE officers found some 300 tonnes of the waste illegally stored in a factory along Jalan Kuala Sawah near here.
Both operators were not licensed by the DoE and the local council to run the used oil recycling business.
State environment, health, cooperatives and consumerism committee chairman S. Veerapan said he has directed the DoE to bring those behind the dumping of scheduled waste into the river to justice.
"I have told the DoE to be more aggressive and look for such illegal operators.
"Those behind these illegal operations know what they are doing is wrong and have been doing their best to avoid detection," he said when met during the operation at the illegal premises here.
The state government has so far spent RM2.1mil for the clean-up of Sg Anak Air Garam.
Veerapan said checks at the second premises found that the operators had been dumping the sludge from the recycled oil into a pond behind the premises.
"We only found out about the illegal operations after being tipped off by the public.
"Preliminary probe showed that the operator had built a pipe network and dumped the sludge, which is considered scheduled waste straight into the pond.
"This has caused massive pollution to the pond," he said, adding that the sludge should be sent to the Kualiti Alam plant nearby licensed to treat it.
Veerapan said the landowner, as well as the operator of the illegal premises would be called in to assist in DoE's probe.
"We will take samples for analysis and then proceed with court action," he said, adding that the offenders can be charged under section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, which provides a jail sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to RM500,000 upon conviction.
Asked how long the operator has been running the premises, Veerapan said this was being investigated, but believes it has been operating for some time based on the amount of dry sludge found in the area.
On the illegal used oil recycling plant in Rasah, Veerapan said it was believed the used oil from the shipping industry in Singapore had been declared as fuel oil before being transported into Malaysia.- Star
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