SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Environment Department (DOE) has discovered that the illegal activity of a premises cleaning used metal drums believed to contain chemical waste is the cause of Sungai Aur, Klang, near here, turning blue.

Selangor DOE director Nor Aziah Jaafar (pic) said an operation conducted together with the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) enforcement unit and the police, which ended at 8pm Saturday (May 28), resulted in them coming across hundreds of used drums.

“We discovered hundreds of used drums ready to be cleaned in an open area where a flow of blue water was also found in a drain outside the premises that led to a large drain nearby.

“The cleaning of the used drums containing chemical wastes, which are categorised as scheduled wastes with the code SW409, was carried out without the approval of the DOE.

“An order to stop the operation of equipment was issued to the premises under Section 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 to stop the pollution and until further investigations are completed.

“In the operation, a man in his 40s was also detained to help in investigations,” she said in a statement Sunday (May 29).

Nor Aziah said the case is being investigated under Section 34A, Section 34B, Section 25, Section 18 and Section 19 of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

“Meanwhile, a total compound of RM500,000 was issued for various offences under the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005.

“Several samples of coloured water and scheduled wastes linked to the case will be sent to the Chemistry Department for further analysis,” she said, adding that the Selangor DOE viewed such offences seriously.

“We will not hesitate to take stringent action against environmental criminals. Thank you to members of the public for helping us by furnishing information on activities which pollute the environment.

“I also urge the public to report any such activity by contacting us on the 24-hour toll-free line at 1-800-88-2727 or email aduan_k@doe.gov.my or via the DOE ecomplaint portal at https://eaduan.doe.gov.my,” she said. – Bernama