JOHOR BARU, Sept 11 — The cleanup and disposal of scheduled waste at Tiong Nam Industrial Park and Tropical Industrial Park here is expected to be fully completed on September 22.
State Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the contractor will submit the cleaning methods to the Johor Baru District Disaster Management Committee before the cleaning work, which will take a week, can begin.
“’In connection with that, the public is advised not to panic during the period of cleaning and disposal of scheduled waste in the area,” he said in a statement today.
Therefore, he advised the public not to enter and be in the area of the incident or do any activity near Sungai Tebrau and Sungai Plentong areas.
“’People are also asked to seek treatment immediately if they experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and dizziness after inhaling the odour suspected to be caused by the disposal of chemical waste.
“Avoid activities outside the home, especially risk groups such as pregnant women, chronic patients, children and the elderly. Those who may be exposed to related chemical residues are also advised to shower and wash clothes separately to avoid exposure through the skin,” he said.
He said the state government condemned the actions of parties who clearly took shortcuts in disposing of scheduled waste illegally and that the case was investigated in accordance with Section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974. Those found guilty could face mandatory imprisonment and a maximum fine of RM10 million.
The public can channel any information on environmental pollution to the Johor Department of Environment (DOE) at 1-800-88-2727 or the Operations Room of the Disaster Operations Control Centre in Johor Baru at 07-220 0604. — Bernama
