ALOR SETAR: The Kedah Environment Department has raided two factories suspected of operating illegally and causing odour pollution in the Pinang Tunggal sub-district in Sungai Petani.
Its director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the raids were conducted at an unlicensed timber factory and another factory used for storing plastic and other waste at 11am on Monday (Dec 18).
"The raids were carried out after the department received numerous public complaints about environmental pollution, particularly the smell of plastic waste being processed without control equipment.
"Also found were materials suspected to be clinical waste such as used Covid-19 screening test containers, syringes, gloves and needles that had been shredded and washed for recycling purposes," she said in a statement on Monday.
She said effluents from waste were then channelled into retention ponds and discharged without treatment into the sewer system and then into Sungai Muda, which is a source of water for Kedah and Penang.
According to Shariah Zakiah, the illegal plastic waste processing and clinical waste factory is believed to be run by Chinese nationals.
Further investigations are underway to determine if the waste originates from the region or was imported from abroad.
Meanwhile, she said a group of foreign workers tried to flee into nearby bushes during the raid.
"The Immigration Department will check on some of the detained workers," she said. – Bernama
