GEORGE TOWN: The Tanjung Bungah Residents’ Association (TBRA) has called for urgent action to stop the heavy metal pollution in waters off Penang’s northern coast.
Its chairperson Meena Raman said the association was very alarmed by the discovery of high levels of heavy metals in the waters off Tanjung Bungah and the Penang National Park in Teluk Bahang.
This was based on studies conducted by Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), whose results were reported in an English daily today.
Meena urged the state government to mobilise the related agencies to safeguard the public’s health as the areas were popular spots for swimming and recreational activities.
“TBRA echoes the concerns raised by CEMACS and we call on the Penang government to convene an emergency task force with representatives from all relevant authorities to address the source of the heavy metal pollution.
“Necessary measures must be taken to stop the pollution, including by alerting and warning the public about the dangers of swimming in the affected waters.”
Meena said the island’s northern coastal areas such as Teluk Bahang and Tanjung Bungah were popular swimming spots for both local and foreign tourists. She said it was worrying that the public was in the dark about the pollution.
CEMACS director Prof Datuk Dr Aileen Tan had previously said that there were very high levels of nickel with concentrations 944 per cent higher than normal levels in waters off the Penang National Park in Teluk Bahang.
She said a study conducted by the centre also revealed high levels of lead (184 per cent above normal levels) and cadmium (32 per cent higher than normal levels) in the water.
“These findings are alarming. The metals were found along the island’s northern coast since last month and could possibly kill
marine life,” said Meena.
The same study said that pollution has led to anoxic or dead zones in the sea because there was hardly any dissolved oxygen (DO).
It also revealed that the nickel-based pollution was believed to have spread to the waters off Tanjung Bungah, which is not far from the Penang Swimming Club, which recorded a DO level of 0.08mg per litre. This amount of oxygen is too low to support marine life.
Tan had also said that the Department of Environment and the Fisheries Department were alerted over the findings. However, the source of the pollution has not been determined.
“Since no industrial activity and development is allowed in the Penang National Park, Prof Tan believes the only logical explanation for the pollution is the passing ships which could be dumping something. This may have been going on for some time now, given the high levels of the metals.
“Nickel, cadmium and lead are highly toxic heavy metals and are dangerous to humans and marine life, and it is indeed worrying that no action appears to have been taken thus far, despite the high levels of pollution found.
“The Federal and State authorities must act urgently to stop the pollution of our seas and safeguard the people’s health and take action against the destruction of marine life,” said Meena.