A residents group has urged the Selangor state government to call off the proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator plant in Rawang.
The Rawang Tolak Incinerator Network (RTI), which is a coalition of all the resident associations within Rawang, stressed the plant will bring more harm than good to the people.
“A WTE plant is just an upgrade of a regular incinerator but with the capability of generating electricity. However, they both share similar features in using combustion to dispose of solid waste.
“Incineration can leave fly and bottom ashes, it can increase the heat in the surrounding area and release toxic gases into the atmosphere.
“The proximity of the plant is what we’re mainly concerned with. It is too close to people’s homes, schools and places of worship.
“We don’t want our health and environment to be affected by the plant,” RTI committee member Lam Choong Wah told reporters during a press conference in Batu Arang, Rawang this afternoon.
Approximately 60 individuals, reportedly affiliated with various residents' associations associated with RTI, were in attendance at the press conference.
Lam stated that RTI will prepare a memorandum about the situation along with a petition to present to the Selangor Menteri Besar's Office the week after the state government's swearing-in ceremony on Monday (Aug 21).
Dubbed the Sultan Idris Shah (SIS) Waste-to-Energy Green Energy Plant, the initiative is set to be overseen by Kelab Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB) Waste Management and YTL Power International Bhd.
KDEB Waste Management is a subsidiary of Selangor Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI).
The size of the project was not indicated in the project’s plan but it was stated that the plant will be able to process 2,400 tonnes of waste daily, producing 58 megawatts of energy.
The plan also mentioned that the project is slated to be built between Batu Arang and Bandar Tasik Puteri, situated right beside a lake.
During the state elections, a resident confronted caretaker Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari about the incinerator.
She raised concerns about the community’s health, especially school students who may inhale poisonous smoke from the incinerator if the proposed site is approved.
In response, Amirudin stated that the project will undergo assessments first, including an environmental impact assessment (EIA), before the state government makes any decisions on it.
Meanwhile, RTI further pressed for additional demands, including a call on the Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) to provide transparency rather than remaining silent about the project.
The group also emphasised that Batu Arang's 2023 Special Area plan designates the township for promotion as a heritage city, making the establishment of a WTE plant contradictory to the plan's objectives.
Amidst the press conference, the recently elected Kuang state assemblyperson Mohd Rafiq Abdullah made an appearance, urging the residents to voice their concerns and share potential solutions with him.
He stated that he would like to present their arguments personally to the soon-to-be-announced Selangor menteri besar.
“It’s not fair to let the residents’ concerns go unheard. As the constituency’s representative, I need to do my part to make sure everyone lives comfortably,” Rafiq told the residents.
Following a brief discussion on the issue, Rafiq informed the residents that he would take care of the expenses related to their banners and document printing for their demonstration in front of the Selangor Menteri Besar's Office. - Mkini
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