JOHOR BARU: More than 150 light and heavy industries have been identified producing chemical waste similar to that discovered at the Tiong Nam Industrial Park and Desa Tropika Industrial Area, says Ling Tian Soon.
The Johor health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said that authorities have discovered that the waste is classified under codes SW332 and SW333, and added that it is typically associated with industrial by-products.
Ling added that a special task force has been established to tackle the issue.
"We have now formed a special task force comprising officers from the Department of Environment (DOE), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and local authorities (PBT)," said Ling.
“This team will conduct large-scale inspections and visits to the identified factories to trace the origin of the chemical waste," he added.
He said this when met by reporters after the officiating ceremony of the national World Water Day celebrations at Kampung Bakar Batu here on Saturday (Sept 21).
The programme was officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Ling added that so far, over 150 factories in the Johor Baru area have been flagged for investigation and then said that many these are believed to be producing chemical waste as part of their industrial processes.
He also addressed the potential health risks posed by the chemical waste, especially in large quantities.
"If the waste is found in significant volume, it can have adverse health effects, though the impact may vary from person to person. In smaller quantities, the risk is less severe," he said.
Ling then added that the chemicals - primarily ammonia - have already caused foul odours in the affected areas and are believed to have contaminated nearby rivers.
"While the waste can emit a strong, unpleasant smell, it generally does not pose a significant health risk unless people come into direct contact with it," Ling added.
The industries involved in producing this type of waste span a variety of sectors, including plastic manufacturing, food production, and packaging, he added.
He also shared that the authorities are set to conclude the cleanup of illegal chemical waste sites in Johor tomorrow.
The operation, which began earlier this week, has progressed smoothly and officials are optimistic that the work will be completed on schedule, he added.
"Tomorrow is the final day for us to complete the cleanup of the affected areas. So far, everything has gone well, and we hope to finish the task by the end of the day," said Ling.
Two key locations have been the focus of the clean-up effort. At the Tiong Nam Industrial Park, RM177,000 has been spent on the operation while another RM84,000 was allocated for the second site in the Desa Tropika Industrial Area.
Various locations in Johor have reported a spate of odour pollution incidents since Sept 3. They included Pandan, Skudai, and Tebrau in Johor Baru, as well as Kampung Orang Asli Pasir Intan in Kota Tinggi.
This led to people experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, and fever.
Ling had said Tiong Nam Industrial Park and Desa Tropika Industrial Area were identified as the source of the pollution, and clean-up works were underway.
The clean-up and disposal of the illegally-dumped chemical waste at the two locations are slated to be complete by Sept 22.
