IPOH: A total of 11 illegal electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) premises have been subjected to enforcement action by the Perak Department of Environment (DOE) from January to August this year.
State Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Teh Kok Lim said the premises were located in the districts of Kuala Kangsar, Perak Tengah and Batu Gajah, with the enforcement operation aided by intelligence from the General Operations Force (GOF).
"A total of 5,291.15 metric tonnes of e-waste were seized, and enforcement action involving the 11 premises included Equipment Operation Detention (POK), while six premises were also subjected to Prohibition Orders (PL). Investigation papers have been opened against all 11 premises under Section 18, Section 19, Section 34A and Section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
"Compared with Johor and Selangor, a total of 10 illegal premises in Johor and 23 in Selangor were inspected by Johor DOE and Selangor DOE together with GOF. Thus, it was found that the number of illegal e-waste premises in Perak is on par with other developed states,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here on Wednesday (Sept 10).
He was responding to Wong Chai Yi (PH-Simpang Pulai), who requested details of enforcement operations against illegal e-waste processing factories, including districts, locations, premises and outcomes of the enforcement.
Teh stressed that one of the main causes of the establishment of illegal e-waste factories is the large-scale illegal importation of such waste into Malaysia through ports.
"In this regard, agencies that oversee the entry of goods into the country at ports and borders are urged to step up control under their respective jurisdictions,” he said. - Bernama
