Aluminum smelting company fined RM36,000 for causing environmental pollution
22 Jul 2022 05:31pm
the company was charged with violating Regulation 5 (1) (d) of the Environmental Quality (clean air) Regulations 2014. - 123RF Photo
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Judge Nariman Badruddin meted out the fine on Trimax Metal Sdn Bhd, after its representative, human resources officer Lee Chew Fong, 42, pleaded guilty to three charges.
She fined the company RM14,000, in default four months’ jail, on the first and second charge, and a fine of RM8,000, in default two months’ jail for the third charge.
On the first count, the company was charged with building a new source of production without submitting a prior written notification to the Director-General of Environmental Quality.
It involved the building an air pollution control system, namely installation of one unit of aluminum separator and one unit of magnetic separator, along with one unit of cooling section'.
The second charge was for causing material change in the quantity of production from an existing source without the approval of the Director-General of Environmental Quality by making changes to the fuel burning device, namely an aluminum smelting furnace unit and two 'holding furnace' units at the premises for the secondary aluminum smelting process.
For both charges, the company was charged with violating Regulation 5 (1) (d) of the Environmental Quality (clean air) Regulations 2014.
On the third count, the company was charged with breaching an order for Equipment Operation Detention (POK) issued on July 15, 2021 for a fuel combustion device, involving an aluminum smelting furnace and two holding furnaces ' which was suspected of causing air pollution in the area.
In doing, the company had committed an offence under Section 48AD (b) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
All the offences were committed at Jalan TTC 8, Taman Teknologi Cheng, Melaka Tengah between 11 am and 12.20 pm on Sept 14, 2021.
According to the facts of the case, an investigation by the Department of Environment (DOE) found that the company had committed repeated offences for failing to submit a written declaration certificate for the air pollution control system.
The prosecution was conducted by prosecution officer from DOE Nosora Mohd Jadi.
Meanwhile, Lee, during mitigation, said she was in the process of closing the company’s operation. - BERNAMA
