Report on toxic dump site ready
SEREMBAN: The state government has received the preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment on the proposed toxic waste processing factory and dump in the Port Dickson district.
Mentri Besar Tan Sri Haji Mohamed Isa Abdul Samad said he received the report yesterday from Department of Environment director-general Dr Abu Bakar Jaafar.
"I have instructed the State Economic Planning Unit to study the, report and to brief the State Executive Council on the findings."
"The report, although only a preliminary one, is quite comprehensive with eight chapters and over 1,000 pages. It was drawn up by a consortium of consultants and officers from the department," he told reporters after chairing the weekly Exco meeting at his office.
The department and its consultants were studying a site in Bukit Nenas, Port Dickson, since the beginning of this year.
Tan Sri Haji Isa said the report found that there was not much problem locating the factory and dump at the site.
He said since 1989, 14 possible sites for the factory and dump had been identified.
"I hope that the department will make a decision as soon as possible. Factories in the state cannot wait much longer. They are storing their industrial and toxic waste within their factory compound."
"We estimate that the factories can continue doing so at the most for only two more years."
He said that if the factory and dump were not set up soon, factories might start dumping their waste indiscriminately.
"I fear to think what will happen if they start dumping into rivers like the Sungai Linggi which is our main water source for Port Dickson and here." He hit out at certain quarters who tried to politicize the factory and dump site.
"These people are irresponsible because the best solution for toxic waste is to have it processed and stored properly.
"The waste is no longer toxic once it is treated. The site was chosen very carefully and the choice was based on the findings of experts," he said.
Source : The Star , November 14, 1991
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