Cracking down: Negri Sembilan authorities in this file photo inspecting an ewaste recycling centre during an enforcement operation.
PETALING JAYA: There are more than 200 illegal ewaste recycling facilities across Malaysia, with several identified in Rawang and Hulu Selangor according to reports, says KDEB Waste Management managing director Datuk Ramli Mohd Tahir.
While the exact number of illegal plants in Selangor remains unspecified, enforcement has targeted multiple sites, he said.
“The main issue with illegal ewaste recycling plants is that they operate without licences and disregard environmental and safety regulations.
“These plants typically use hazardous methods, such as open burning or unsafe chemical processes, to extract valuable metals from electronic waste.
“This can result in the release of toxic substances like lead, mercury and cadmium into the air, soil and water, causing severe environmental pollution,” he said in an interview.
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KDEB Waste Management is a wholly owned subsidiary company of Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI) under the Selangor state government.
According to Ramli, the pollutants pose significant health risks to workers and nearby communities, potentially leading to respiratory issues, neurological damage, and contamination of food and water sources.
In Malaysia, ewaste management is governed by the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127), which prohibits illegal dumping and unlicensed processing of scheduled waste.
Under Section 34B, offenders can face penalties of up to RM500,000 or five years’ imprisonment for illegal dumping activities.
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Ramli added that illegal plants often lacked proper waste disposal methods, exacerbating the pollution problem.
The informal nature of these operations also makes it difficult for authorities to track and regulate their activities, leading to widespread environmental degradation, he added.
Recently, nearly RM42mil worth of materials and equipment were seized following raids on six illegal ewaste processing facilities in Pandamaran, Klang.
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Among the materials seized were 2,800kg of stainless steel, 83,700kg of aluminium, 6,000kg of steel, 6,000kg of solid iron, 10,500kg of CPUs (central processing units), 3,000kg of batteries, 37,000kg of copper, 30,000kg of plastics, 103,000kg of cables, 50 ewaste processing machines and 14 sets of transport machinery.
The raids were conducted by the Wildlife Crime Bureau under the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department, along with other agencies, including the Environment Department, IGP secretariat’s Anti-Money Laundering Division and National Water Services Commission.
Six locals and 43 foreigners aged between 22 and 60 were detained during the operation.
