SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan Department of Environment (DoE) has ordered two factories in the Sungai Gadut Industrial Park in Senawang to close for causing air pollution.
State Health, Environment, Cooperatives and Consumerism Committee chairman S. Veerapan said the action against the factories – one making furniture and the other recycling plastic – was taken following investigations conducted on April 16 and May 3, respectively.
The investigations were carried out after complaints of air pollution and odour by residents of nearby housing estates, he said in a statement today.
“The furniture-making factory was found to be engaged in burning and producing liquid glue. It is suspected that this activity was the main cause of the release of a solvent and chemical odour to the nearby housing areas. As such, the DoE sealed the premises under Section 38(1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
“The plastic-recycling plant has air control devices for all machines but it was found to process hard plastic which produces a strong odour. The air control system was found to be inadequate. So, DoE ordered the factory to close. The factory is upgrading the existing air control devices,” he said.
Veerapan said the DoE is in the process of applying for a prohibition order under Rule 24 of the Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014 in the two cases.
He suggested the monitoring of the plastic-recycling industry and the designing of appropriate air control equipment for installation to overcome odour. — Bernama
