KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — More than 200 illegal e-waste recycling facilities are operating across Malaysia, with several reported in Rawang and Hulu Selangor, according to KDEB Waste Management managing director Datuk Ramli Mohd Tahir.

While the exact number of these illegal plants in Selangor remains unspecified, enforcement actions have been focused on multiple sites, Ramli said.

"The main issue with illegal e-waste recycling plants is that they operate without licences and disregard environmental and safety regulations,” he told The Star in an interview.

"These plants typically use hazardous methods, such as open burning or unsafe chemical processes, to extract valuable metals from electronic waste. This can result in the release of toxic substances like lead, mercury, and cadmium into the air, soil, and water, causing severe environmental pollution,” he added.

KDEB Waste Management, a subsidiary of Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI), has been addressing these concerns in collaboration with relevant authorities.

Ramli said that these pollutants pose significant health risks to both workers and nearby communities, potentially leading to respiratory issues, neurological damage, and contamination of food and water sources.

E-waste management in Malaysia is governed by the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127), which prohibits illegal dumping and unlicensed processing of scheduled waste.

Under Section 34B of the Act, offenders can face penalties of up to RM500,000 or five years’ imprisonment for illegal dumping activities.

Recently, authorities seized nearly RM42 million worth of materials and equipment during raids on six illegal e-waste processing facilities in Pandamaran, Klang.

Materials confiscated included 2,800kg of stainless steel, 83,700kg of aluminium, 6,000kg of steel, 6,000kg of solid iron, 10,500kg of central processing units (CPUs), 3,000kg of batteries, 37,000kg of copper, and 30,000kg of plastics.

The raids, led by the Wildlife Crime Bureau under the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department, involved multiple agencies, including the Environment Department and the National Water Services Commission.

Six Malaysians and 43 foreigners aged between 22 and 60 were detained during the operation.