Kota Kinabalu: A company was fined a total of RM38,000 for four counts of discharging effluent into the inland waters.
Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus meted out the sentence to QL Agroventures Sdn Bhd after its Manager pleaded guilty to all the charges against the company.
On the first count, the company which operated the chicken slaughter premises, was fined RM10,000 for discharging industrial effluent between 12.47 and 2pm on Apr 15, 2021 at the company premises in Kg Tombovo, Putatan.
The charge stated that the effluent containing parameter of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) with concentration of 290mg/L exceeded the stipulated limits which was 50mg/L.
The offence, under Section 11(1)(b) of the Environmental Quality Rules (Industrial Effluent) 2009, carries a fine of up to RM100,000 or a jail term of up to five years, or both.
On the second count, the court ordered the company to pay a fine of RM5,000 for discharging the industrial fluent containing oil and grease parameters with concentration of 24mg/L exceeded the stipulated limits which was 10.0mg/L at the same place and time.
On the third count, the company was fined another RM8,000 for discharging effluent containing nitrogen and ammonia parameters with concentration of 57mg/L, exceeding the stipulated limit of 20mg/L, at the same place and time.
On the fourth count, the company was fined RM15,000 for discharging effluent containing Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) parameter with concentration of 1,960mg/L, exceeding the stipulated limit which was 200mg/L, at the same place and time.
During mitigation, the company through its counsel, asked for leniency saying that the company had conducted treatment at the said place as well as complied with the standard by the Environmental Department.
However, the prosecution urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence on the grounds that it involved the public interest as the company had discharged industrial effluent to the waters which caused pollution to the environment.
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