KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) views seriously and will not compromise with manufacturers, who flouted the rules, especially those who were allowed to operate during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
Its minister, Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said the public had off late made several complaints pertaining to contamination from factories producing rubber-based products.
“The ministry is very concerned about environmental pollution and is committed to regulating the operations of factories continuously, especially during the MCO period.
“The ministry will also enhance cooperation with other relevant ministries and agencies in monitoring effort and investigations," he said in a statement today.

Mohd Khairuddin said acting upon complaints received on May 2, 2020, the Malaysian Rubber Board’s Inspectorate and Enforcement Unit, together with the Selangor Department of Environment (DOE), on May 3, inspected a rubber-based factory in Bukit Beruntung which was believed to have release effluent into a public drainage.
"The findings showed that the foam effluent emanated from latex processing. Even though the effluent discharge system was functional, the surfactant material in it released with high volume of water at high speed during the discharge process caused the foam to be produced.
"An immediate remedial action was taken by the factory during the effluent release process to reduce foam production," he said..
Mohd Khairuddin said the DOE had taken samples of the effluent for analysis by the Chemistry Department and a full investigation report is being prepared,
If the company is found to have violated the regulations and breached any laws, the ministry, through the MRB, will suspend or revoke its licence, as well as the premises registered with the agency.
Complaints against errant factories can be made by calling the MRB hotline at 1-800-888-474 or the MPIC hotline at 03-8880-3498 during the MCO period.
-- BERNAMA

https://www.bernama.com/en/business/news.php?id=1838693
Source: bernama.com