KUALA LUMPUR: The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) has urged the Environment Department (DOE) to step up night inspections at electronic waste (e-waste) processing premises in Segamat, Johor, to detect possible offences outside normal operating hours.
The commission said the DOE currently conducted night inspections based on operational needs and complaints received.
It recommended more frequent inspections to ensure activities at e-waste premises were monitored more effectively.
"The recommendation followed an investigation into the DOE's enforcement actions against e-waste processing and recycling premises in the Segamat Industrial Area," the commission said in a statement on Thursday (Oct 22).
The EAIC said its investigation found that the DOE had carried out continuous enforcement action and taken appropriate measures against non-compliance, including repeat offences.
It said the department conducted regular inspections and took firm action against premises found to have violated the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005, as well as the Environmental Quality (Licensing) Regulations 1977.
"Apart from issuing field citations, directives and compounds, the DOE had also initiated prosecutions against premises found to have committed offences under the Environmental Quality Act 1974," the commission said.
The EAIC said its investigation was conducted to assess the implementation of improvement recommendations previously submitted to the DOE, as well as investigate fresh allegations involving enforcement shortcomings, including partial licensing, night operations and repeated offences.
"The DOE had taken steps to expedite enforcement operations, including reviewing and improving its enforcement standard operating procedures," it added.
It said the department was also working to finalise guidelines on compound enforcement and update its penalty and compound framework in line with amendments to the Environmental Quality Act 1974 that came into force on March 26, 2025.
The DOE had also improved its public complaints management system through the myJAS Aduan application, which can be accessed and downloaded via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Regular training for DOE officers was also conducted throughout 2025 and 2026, the EAIC added.
The commission further noted that the DOE had strengthened the delegation of enforcement powers through the Environmental Quality (Delegation of Powers to Government Departments, Local Authorities and Corporations) Order 2025, which came into force on July 8 last year.
It said enforcement agencies had also begun addressing the e-waste issue through a more comprehensive national approach following the establishment of a special task force on enforcement and the management of plastic waste and e-waste imports on Dec 8, 2025.
Integrated enforcement operations had since been carried out to address e-waste imports and illegal e-waste processing activities in the country.
The EAIC called on the relevant agencies to intensify enforcement efforts to tackle the e-waste issue and protect the environment.
It added that it would continue monitoring the implementation of laws, standard operating procedures and its improvement recommendations to ensure enforcement agencies performed their duties effectively.
