Acrylic factory spillage cause of odour pollution in Selangor rivers, says state exco

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 — Odour pollution detected in several rivers in Selangor since yesterday is believed to be caused by a factory processing acrylic materials for recycling, according to Selangor Public Health and Environment Exco Jamaliah Jamaludin.

In a report by Bernama, she said the Selangor Water Management Board (Luas), along with related parties, found that effluent flowed from a tank leak at the factory, which caused a type of scheduled substance called Poly Methacrylic Acid (PMAA) to overflow into drains and ditches, reaching Sungai Kuang.

“The spillage of the material also entered the nearby river with a reading of three tons detected by the Luas static team in Sungai Kundang at 1.30 this morning and in Sungai Sembah at 4.30am,” she said in a statement today.

“Luas has ordered the premises to stop the discharge and carry out cleaning works immediately because the negligence poses a risk to the nearest water treatment plant (WTPs) which is Rantau Panjang WTP at a distance of 29.61 kilometres and SSP1, SSP2 and SSP3 at a distance of 34.02km,” she added.

Jamaliah added that Luas is now actively implementing mitigation measures in the affected river by increasing the placement of activated carbon (AC) to remove odours, performing dilution works, and pumping water to accelerate the flow of polluted materials past the plant’s inlet area.

Following the incident, she said that Luas opened investigation papers under Section 79(1) of the Luas Enactment 1999, and the parties involved also face enforcement action from the Department of Environment and the Selayang Municipal Council.

“The Selangor government and Luas will not compromise with any party that pollutes water sources, and strict action will be taken in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Luas Enactment,” she said.

Earlier, Air Selangor announced that seven areas in the Klang Valley — Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Selangor, and Kuala Selangor — is experiencing unscheduled water disruptions as four WTPs are temporarily suspended due to odour pollution.