SEREMBAN: A total of 44 illegal plastic recycling premises are expected to be charged in court soon, which will involve fines totalling RM3 million for various offences under the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
This follows a massive coordinated enforcement operation conducted by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment & Climate Change (MESTECC) with the local authorities, to combat illegal plastic waste throughout the country.
Its minister, Yeo Bee Yin said, so far four cases had been brought to court with a total of RM389,000 fines imposed and one found guilty sentenced to a day’s jail.
“We will make them pay the price. If they want to make money, they will have to comply with the law.
“Some quarters feel that a day’s imprisonment is too light but we will make sure that all laws and clauses will be brought in to make sure that offenders will not be let off the hook easily,” she added.
Yeo said, as of February this year, a total of 139 premises had been shut down, exceeding the target set by the ministry to close down 100 illegal factories by the first quarter of the year.
“The operation started since July last year. From 274 premises inspected, 109 were illegal factories while the remaining numbers didn’t comply with environmental regulations.
“Although we have met the target, but we will not stop. Enforcement operations will be amplified,” she added.
"We have more than 400 licensed factories in the country. But having a valid licence doesn’t necessarily mean that they comply the law. We will make sure that operation will be conducted at least twice a year,” said Yeo.
She added, with a total of 750,000 tonnes of plastic waste brought into the country up to July last year, the ministry would not compromise with any plastic waste offences, in efforts to protect the environment.
“We hope that we will be able to clear the rubbish by the third quarter of the year. We will either use the National Land Code to make it mandatory for land owners to dispose plastic waste from their properties according to the environmental law, or we will confiscate their land.
“The waste can also be given to a licensed landfill operator or cement plant that can burn it, or we will have to clean it first but we will make sure to back charge the offenders. If they fail to pay, they will be dragged to court,” she said at a Press conference after conducting the Negri Sembilan special integrated task force operation here, today.
Three factories were raided in the operation which was joint by 90 officials from 13 agencies in the state, that include the state Department of Environment, National Solid Waste Management Department, Seremban Municipal Council, Nilai Municipal Council, Solid Waste Corporation Management, the Customs Department and the Royal Malaysia Police.
Of the three, two were illegal plastic recycling premises, while one had been found to have violated the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
From August last year, a total of 33 plastic recycling premises in the state had been inspected, 12 of which had been ordered to shut down operation for various offences, and nine found operating illegally.
A total of 22 written notices, three compounds and investigation papers as well as 13 equipment detention orders and one Prohibition Order had been issued.
Only two premises in the state have valid importation permit (AP) from the National Solid Waste Management Department.
Yeo said, the ministry would also extend the operation at seaports to curb the influx of plastic waste into the country.