AMPANG: Businesses and premises in Selangor will now be charged a fee based on the volume of effluents they discharge under the Zero Discharge Policy (ZDP).
The newly launched policy by the Selangor government aims to control industries and compel them to recycle their effluents instead of dumping it into drains, rivers, and water sources.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the ZDP, along with other existing laws and regulations, was to safeguard the state’s waterways.
"The more they discharge, the higher the fee they will have to pay.
"This will also motivate them to implement waste management and recycling efforts," he said during the state-level World Water Day celebration in Pandan Perdana on Saturday morning (Aug 10).
Some 13 scheduled activities that operate near water sources and rivers will be regulated via ZDP, including aquaculture, development and earthworks, poultry and livestock farming, sand mining, slaughterhouses, sewage treatment, and solid waste management services among others.
He said the policy was gazetted on June 20 and would take effect on Monday (Aug 12).
"We will give operators and premises owners one year probation and to register, after which we will start enforcing.
"But if there is a serious breach, action will be taken immediately.
"Each time there is disruption to the water treatment plants due to pollution or other factors, it affects over seven million Selangor residents," Amirudin added.
The Selangor Water Management Board (Luas), which manages the ZDP, enforces it via new regulation under the Luas Enactment 1999.
It will be enforced along with the Polluters Pay Policy (PPP), whereby those who discharge effluents into the river would have to pay for any amount discharged beyond the regulated limit.
Also present during the event were state infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Izham Hashim, public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin, and Luas director Hasrolnizam Shaari.
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