SUNGAI PETANI: A company has been fined RM75,000 by the Sessions Court after it admitted to building a solid waste recycling plant in July without obtaining the required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval from the Environment Department (DOE).
Judge Azman Abu Hassan delivered the decision yesterday against Grey Matter Plastic Industries Sdn Bhd manager Mohd Hasrul Hafiz Roslan, who represented the company.
The company was accused of constructing a solid waste recycling plant for plastic waste without prior approval from the director-general of Environmental Quality, in violation of Activity 14(b)(ii) of the First Schedule under the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 2015.
The offence was committed on July 3 at the Grey Matter Plastic Industries premises in the LPK Industrial Area, Taman Ria Jaya, between 10.40am and 2.30pm, Bernama reported.
The charge was framed under Section 34A(6) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, which is punishable by a fine of up to RM500,000, imprisonment for a maximum of five years, or both upon conviction.
Earlier, Mohd Hasrul Hafiz, who was unrepresented, appealed for a lighter sentence, saying the company had ceased recycling plastic waste at the premises.
However, DOE prosecuting officers Muniff Mat Rus and Ahmad Mustaqim Mohd requested an appropriate penalty, emphasising that the case had attracted the attention of the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry.
