INDAH Water Konsortium (IWK) has been slapped on the wrist for illegally dumping sludge near its treatment plant in Kuala Sawah, about 10kms from Seremban town.
Negri Sembilan Department of Environment (DoE) director Charanpal Singh said IWK Kuala Sawah was fined RM2,000.
“We also ordered them to clean up their act,” he said, adding it was the first offence by IWK in the state.
He added that the 900 tonnes of sludge would be dumped at the Bukit Palong landfill in Lukut.
Asked if the small fine was effective in deterring industries from polluting the environment, Charanpal said the fine applied to unscheduled dumping of non-toxic waste.
“The law provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 for major offences but this is not toxic waste,” he said.
Charanpal said DoE was yet to determine what caused the foul-up at the plant.
“Whatever it is they have cleaned up their act and DoE will be monitoring them,” he said.
On Tuesday, StarMetro reported that the bungle occurred at the plant due a mechanical malfunction.
Initially to prevent the massive overflow of sludge, the workers erected a barricade but it collapsed and started to spread to the surrounding areas.
The breakdown in communication, failure to identify a new dumping ground and lack of funds to buy diesel to operate a wheel loader were factors which were said to have contributed to the illegal dumping of wet sludge.
When villagers uncovered the incident in late February, IWK worked round the clock to undo the mess.
Private contractors were engaged to dig up and bury the wet sludge.
According to an internal report put together following the mess, IWK Kuala Sawah did not address the problem of lack of dumping ground after the South Waste Management (SWM) refused to allow all of Kuala Sawah sludge to be dumped at its site in Pagoh, Likut.
In the report, SWM detected high moisture content in the sludge and started limiting the number of lorries transporting sludge the dumping site. - TheStar
Negri Sembilan Department of Environment (DoE) director Charanpal Singh said IWK Kuala Sawah was fined RM2,000.
“We also ordered them to clean up their act,” he said, adding it was the first offence by IWK in the state.
He added that the 900 tonnes of sludge would be dumped at the Bukit Palong landfill in Lukut.
Asked if the small fine was effective in deterring industries from polluting the environment, Charanpal said the fine applied to unscheduled dumping of non-toxic waste.
“The law provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 for major offences but this is not toxic waste,” he said.
Charanpal said DoE was yet to determine what caused the foul-up at the plant.
“Whatever it is they have cleaned up their act and DoE will be monitoring them,” he said.
On Tuesday, StarMetro reported that the bungle occurred at the plant due a mechanical malfunction.
Initially to prevent the massive overflow of sludge, the workers erected a barricade but it collapsed and started to spread to the surrounding areas.
The breakdown in communication, failure to identify a new dumping ground and lack of funds to buy diesel to operate a wheel loader were factors which were said to have contributed to the illegal dumping of wet sludge.
When villagers uncovered the incident in late February, IWK worked round the clock to undo the mess.
Private contractors were engaged to dig up and bury the wet sludge.
According to an internal report put together following the mess, IWK Kuala Sawah did not address the problem of lack of dumping ground after the South Waste Management (SWM) refused to allow all of Kuala Sawah sludge to be dumped at its site in Pagoh, Likut.
In the report, SWM detected high moisture content in the sludge and started limiting the number of lorries transporting sludge the dumping site. - TheStar
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