PUTRAJAYA: Action has been taken against seven illegal factories processing ewaste brought unlawfully into the country this year, says the Department of Environment (DOE).
DOE director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaafar said three of the illegal factories were in Selangor, three others in Pahang and one in Kedah.
He said as of September, the number of full recovery ewaste premises licensed by the DOE were 17 while those carrying out half recovery were 106.
Wan Abdul Latiff said much of the ewaste was brought unlawfully into the country using false declarations and later channelled to illegal premises.
"We are in the process of discussing with the various agencies on ways to curb such illegal imports and premises," he said during an interactive session with the media here on Wednesday (Oct 2).
Wan Abdul Latiff was responding to media reports that Kampung Telok Gong area in Klang was a "hub" for illegal ewaste factories and processing.
On Sept 4, Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department acting director Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said that seven illegal factories within the Kampung Telok Gong area in Klang that recycled precious metals from scrap e-waste and other materials had been busted with Bukit Aman seizing items worth RM97mil.
Telok Gong, said Wan Abdul Latiff, had been identified as one of the hotspots for such illegal ewaste premises as it is located near to Port Klang and isolated. Such premises are also likely to be located on agricultural land such as plantations.
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.
