Demand for action to be taken on illegal dump sites

THE recent statement by the chairman of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, that the authorities concerned should identify illegal dump sites should be taken seriously. Illegal dump sites,

if left uncleared, would become a serious health hazard to the people living in the surrounding areas. They are also eyesores on the land.

Open burning, which is being done at these illegal dump sites to create space for more waste or by scavengers to recover scrap metals, is polluting the air.

It would be a wasted effort if these illegal dump sites are only identified but no action taken is taken against the operators.

Most of these illegal rubbish dumping grounds are operated by contractors who are involved in the disposal of construction and municipal waste. Most of the operators have underworld connection and display thuggish behaviour when confronted.

They offer their services based on two categories – disposal of rubbish at licensed dump sites (for which receipts are issued), and illegal dumping at any available space they can find. Some irresponsible customers choose the latter for cost and convenience, thus creating a never-ending presence of illegal dump sites.

The local authority or municipal council can control this environmentally damaging illegal activity by registering the lorries used to transport the rubbish. Any lorry driver caught ferrying rubbish to illegal dump sites should be heavily penalised.

When caught for illegal dumping, those carrying a valid licence issued by the local government or municipal council should have their licence revoked. They must also be made to display their licence number on their lorry for identification and enforcement.

They must also have details of the rubbish originator so that the root cause of the problem can be traced and the offender punished.

With the constant attention given by the press on illegal waste disposal and toxic gas discharge that have caused so much discomfort and health scares to the citizens, especially school children, it is time to demand that the authorities concerned take measures to prevent further harm to our fragile environment.

TANEN

Shah Alam