Latest news with #EnvironmentalQuality(ScheduledWastes)Regulations2005
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
RM10.3mil in illegal e-waste seized in Sabah crackdown
KOTA KINABALU: Authorities seize more than RM10.3mil worth of illegal e-waste and detain 44 individuals in Sabah. The joint enforcement operation, codenamed Ops Hazard 2.0, was carried out on Monday (June 16) across 16 locations identified as hotspots for unlawful e-waste collection and handling. Sabah General Operations Force (GOF) commander Datuk Abdul Rani Alias said the raids were conducted in multiple districts, including Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Tuaran, Keningau, Tawau, Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu and Sandakan. 313 personnel were involved in the integrated operation, representing various agencies, including the Environment Department, Customs Department, Fire and Rescue Department, Labour Department, local authorities and the Health Ministry. 'From the operation, 44 individuals were detained – 23 local men, five local women, and one child. We also arrested 10 men and five women from the Philippines and Indonesia,' he said in a statement on Thursday (June 19). Investigations revealed that all raided premises were illegally buying and collecting e-waste without proper authorisation or compliance with environmental laws. The seizures included a wide range of discarded electronic and electrical items, with the total value estimated at RM10.3mil. Abdul Rani said several offences were detected during the operation. These included violations of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and its subsidiary legislation, the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005, for the illegal handling and storage of scheduled waste. Other offences were committed under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for the presence of undocumented foreign nationals, the Control of Supplies Act 1961 for illegal trading activities, and the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 for non-compliance with public health regulations. Additional breaches involved the Food Act 1983, the Fire Services Act 1988, the Sabah Labour Ordinance (Cap. 67) for employment violations, and the Trade Licensing Ordinance 1948 for operating without valid business licences.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
2,000 metric tonnes of illegal e-waste collected in Ops Hazard 2.0, says Environment Department
KUALA LUMPUR: Some 2,000 metric tonnes of illegal e-waste were seized in Ops Hazard 2.0, says the Environment Department. Its enforcement division director, Rosli Zul, said the department also issued equipment seizure orders on 24 premises raided during the special operation. "It was done per Section 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) for operating machinery without any pollution control systems. "We also issued 59 directives under Sections 31 and 37 of the Act, while 18 compounds were issued for various violations of the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005," he told a press conference in Bukit Aman on Thursday (June 19). Rosli said investigations have been opened into 25 premises for various offences, including failure to comply with license conditions and operating unlicensed scheduled waste storage facilities. "Other offences detected were failure to obtain written approval from the department's director-general, failure to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment report and disposal of scheduled waste without proper approval. 'These illegal activities not only break the law but pose serious threats to human health and the environment due to the potential release of hazardous pollutants into the air, water, and soil,' he said. Many of the illegal operations were found in remote areas and outside approved industrial zones, making enforcement and monitoring more difficult, and increasing risks for enforcement officers, Rosli said. He stressed that any management of scheduled waste, including e-waste, without proper approval from the director-general is a serious offence " Under the latest amendments to the Environmental Quality Act (Amendment) 2024, offenders now face fines of up to RM10mil and jail terms of up to five years if convicted," he added. Ops Hazard 2.0 was recently conducted, involving various agencies led by the police's General Operations Force.
New Straits Times
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Malaysia received over 2,800 tonnes of battery waste in 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia received a total of 2,802.17 tonnes of battery waste containing cadmium, nickel, mercury or lithium in 2023, accounting for 0.05 per cent of total scheduled waste generated that year. Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said based on battery waste statistics, the volume had increased significantly from 1,120.03 tonnes in 2013. "The generation of scheduled waste under code SW 103 surged by 600.47 per cent in 2020 due to the mixing of SW 103 waste with chemical waste," he said. Previously, the government had targeted 1.5 million electric vehicles (EVs) in the country by 2040, in line with the global transition of infrastructure from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs. This new target marks a significant increase from the one previously set by the Planning and Implementation Committee for Electricity Supply and Tariff (JPPPET), which aimed for 90,000 EVs by 2040. Last year, the ministry acknowledged that efforts were underway to establish guidelines for the disposal of solar panels and EV batteries in Malaysia. At the same time, Nik Nazmi said there are currently five licensed scheduled waste premises in the country authorised to receive SW 103 battery waste from EVs. These include Sungeel Hi Tech Sdn Bhd in Port Klang, Selangor, and Hi Tech Full Recovery (M) Sdn Bhd in Padang Meha, Kedah. The three other premises are TES AMM (M) Sdn Bhd in Pasir Gudang, Johor; MEP Enviro Technology Sdn Bhd and Econili Sdn Bhd in Perak. Code SW103, which covers lithium and EV batteries, is classified as scheduled waste under the First Schedule of the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005. "These batteries contain cadmium and nickel, mercury or lithium. As such, EV batteries are not categorised as electronic waste (e-waste)," he said. EV batteries refer to the power source of electric vehicles, and lithium-ion batteries are the most commonly used due to their energy efficiency, long charging cycles and high energy density. Nik Nazmi added that Malaysia still has adequate capacity to manage EV battery waste using existing facilities. To date, EV battery waste accounts for less than one per cent of the total scheduled waste generated annually in the country. "This amount remains small, and current capacity is still sufficient to meet demand," he said.
