SEREMBAN: Enforcement teams have seized an estimated 200 tonnes of electronic waste from an unnumbered factory premises near Sg Linggi, an important source of raw water here.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the ewaste, which was believed to have been shipped in from the United States and China via Port Klang, had been fraudulently declared as scrap to be allowed to be brought in.
“The entire place is in a mess with total disregard for the environment or public health,” said state climate change, human resources, entrepreneurship, cooperatives and consumerism committee chairman S. Veerapan.
He said the authorities would also investigate whether the operator discarded any waste into Sg Linggi as it could pollute the water.
A raid was jointly carried out by several agencies following a public tip-off, he said.
“Investigations revealed that the entire operation was run illegally by Chinese nationals who had hired up to 60 foreigners to dismantle the e-waste.”
He said that the raiding team managed to arrest only seven foreigners from Myanmar while the others escaped.
“The manner in which the waste was dismantled could have a negative impact on the people’s health and the environment, especially when the premises is located less than 100m from Sg Linggi,” he told reporters at the site.
He said the operator had not put up any sign to indicate the type of business that was being carried out inside the premises to escape detection. It had also failed to obtain a licence from the local council to run the business, he added.
