Saturday, November 30, 2013

Discard your phones the e-green way

THE year-end holiday and shopping season is also gift-giving time. These are often replacements or upgrades to our electronic gadgets. So, what should we do with our old hand phones and other electronics collecting dust in our drawers? If it still works, pass it to someone who can use it. If not, then recycle. But do you see many recycling bins around?

In my experience, they seem to be hidden in out-of-the-way care centres. While mobile phone companies and telcos in the country do have recycling programmes, I noticed that their bins are not commonplace or the programme is for a limited time only.
In Malaysia, Nokia collects used phones and sends them to a recycling plant in Penang. According to Francis Cheong, senior manager for regional sustainability at Nokia Asia-Pacific: "All phones and accessories sent to our vendor facilities in Penang are recycled with almost 100 per cent of the materials recovered for re-use in other products. None are resold as second hand products."
The plastic casings are segregated at their vendor facilities and then forwarded to a local plastic recycler, which then converts them to plastic pallets ready to be used again in many other products. After removing certain elements, the LCDs are disposed of as "scheduled wastes" to Kualiti Alam for final treatment and disposal.
SIM cards, which contain precious metals, are recycled and base materials recovered together with all printed circuit boards. The precious metals are extracted and then sold to various industries for re-use. For example, gold is sold to jewellers or banks.
All parts of the phones are recycled at the Penang facility except for the batteries which are sent to an e-waste recycling plant in Singapore for recovery of the lithium and cobalt salts. This plant has the only patented lithium ion battery recycling system using hydro technology in this part of the world.
Almost 97 per cent of a hand phone can be recycled for plastic, ferrous metals and lithium among other things. Only its LCD screen is non-recyclable because of its heavy metals content. Find out more about a hand phone's afterlife at http://asia.cnet.com/a-mobile-phones-afterlife-62059584.htm. Recycling used electronics means that they won't end up in landfills.
While old phones and computers can be dismantled to extract the useful metals inside, doing it safely is time-consuming. That's why a lot of e-waste from the United States is exported to Guiyu, China (http://content.time.com/ time/magazine/article/ 0,9171,1870485,00.html) -- a recycling hub where peasants heat circuit boards over coal fires to recover lead, while others use acid to burn off bits of gold. Guiyu also has the highest level of cancer-causing dioxins in the world and elevated rates of miscarriages according to reports from nearby Shantou University.
As consumers, we would be wise to think about what happens to the electronic device we discard before we even consider buying a new one.
So, how do you ensure that your old phone doesn't end up poisoning a kid in China? If it's still in good working condition, hand it down or resell it on the second-hand market. If it's broken, don't put it in the garbage. Find out if your retailer or manufacturer offers free recycling.
Recycling e-waste is vital not only for the environment but for the manufacturing industry as well. It prevents e-waste from ending up in landfills and contaminating the environment with toxic and heavy metals. Recycling also helps reduce the need to create or mine raw materials for new products, which reduces manufacturing costs.
For manufacturers, to pitch electronic products as green or complying with the law isn't enough. Neither is following regulations such as restricting lead and cadmium. Removing all or most substances of high concern rather than a few prohibited ones is. These include chemicals that are potentially harmful to human health or the environment.
It would be ideal if recycle bins for phones are as commonplace as hand phone shops. Even better if manufacturers and telcos offer year-round recycling, take back or trade-up programmes in high traffic areas. Focusing on planned longevity -- rather than planned obsolescence -- of the device will minimise its energy impact. This is the kind of sustainable design we want to see more of.
Rather than shopping for something hot off the manufacturing line this holidays, don't upgrade your old phone (or computer or TV) for a little while longer. It may not be in the generous holiday spirit, but it certainly fits the new e-green one. Our children will thank us for this when they live in a future free from overflowing landfills and incinerators.
Rather than buying the latest smartphone and other gadgets, this holidays, try keeping your old phone for a little while longer. AFP pic


Read more: Discard your phones the e-green way - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/discard-your-phones-the-e-green-way-1.416430#ixzz2tZF7d9De

Friday, November 15, 2013

Sungai Kundang polluters fined

WORRYING TREND: MPS team catches operators of 3 premises dumping waste into river

RAWANG: THREE premises that had been polluting Sungai Kundang were ordered to be shut down  after a raid by  Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) yesterday.
Situated in the same vicinity as two other premises which had dumped toxic waste and oil into the same river recently, MPS special task force chief Paramasivam Chelliah said the trend was worrying as Sungai Kundang was the main water source for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya residents.
"We issued compounds and notices amounting to RM100,000 to the perpetrators."
MPS president Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain had recently pledged to curb river pollution by inspecting premises under MPS's jurisdiction.
A team of journalists, who joined the raiding party, saw how dirty the premises were.
The first raid was carried out at a pork processing shack that also reared fish.
The owner, known only as Goh, said he skinned and cut up pork to be sold, along with the fish.
He said he fed the fish, reared in cages in the river, with internal organs of pigs.
"The water is clean. If the fish do not finish eating the pig intestines, the leftovers will settle at the bottom.
"Therefore, the top part of the water is clean. How can you say I am polluting the river?"
When leaving the premises, the raiding party was tipped off about a nearby fu chok (dried beancurd) producing shack that had also dumped remnants into the river.
The fu chok, which were being dried on sticks at the premises, emitted a terrible stench.
The raiding team discovered that chemicals used to process the fu chok were flowing into a small stream which led to Sungai Kundang.
The third and final raid revealed that a factory set up to recycle waste materials had dug a special drainage system to enable harmful chemicals to flow into Sungai Kundang.
"We checked the drain. The grass on either side of it was dead. They were brown and dried up.
"We suspect the chemicals are poisonous," said Paramasivam.


Read more: Sungai Kundang polluters fined - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/sungai-kundang-polluters-fined-1.401367#ixzz2tZ9ZIOq7

Friday, October 25, 2013

Illegal dump site sealed

Source : NST, 25/10/13

By S.K.THANUSHA DEVI AND HALIM SAID | news@nst.com.my 

HEALTH HAZARD: Toxic materials found near Selangor water treatment plant

RAWANG: AN illegal dumping ground has been sealed off by the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) for allegedly causing toxic waste pollution in Sungai Gong, one of the water sources connected to Selangor's main water treatment plants, in Jalan Rawang here.
The site is a walking distance from the recently sealed factory responsible for polluting the river and that had led to water cuts in the Klang Valley area, affecting about a million residents.
MPS president Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain said the council had received a tip-off from the public on the site three weeks ago and had since sent undercover officers to investigate the situation.
"They have been using this site to illegally bury toxic waste and also dump used tyres and burn them at night.
"We have also seen traces of white, blue and red substances in the river and we are worried the water might be polluted," Azizi said after the raid yesterday.
Residents said they have been suffering from the chemical odour, breathing difficulties and mosquito bites since the illegal dumping ground started operating.
"We have been squatting in this area for some time until someone bought the land and allowed us to stay on with minimal rent. So when all this trouble started, we only complained to him but we couldn't go to the authorities as we would be evicted," said a resident.
Azizi, who ordered the site to be sealed permanently, said the area would be locked and the equipment seized. "My three officers who were here to investigate have suffered fever and other skin complications.
"I just cannot imagine how workers who had been here stayed under this hazardous conditions."
Azizi said the owner would be slapped with compounds for illegally burying toxic waste and neglecting to upkeep the area which has also become an Aedes mosquito breeding ground.
"They have been operating here for about two years, and this land was initially approved for chicken rearing only. However, the owner started renting out this area to a third party who used it as an illegal dump site."
He also stressed that MPS would now inspect all factories or sites near rivers to check on their waste disposal methods to ensure water streams are not affected by industrial waste discharges.
Members of the Rawang Fire and Rescue Department's Hazardous Material Team (Hazmat), who were also present during the raid, spent a few hours digging the soil and extracting samples.
Its station chief Mohd Haikal Md Kasri said his team of 35 personnel found one type of solid and two types of liquids, believed to be toxic materials, buried in the soil.
"We also found 20 to 30 barrels of unidentified toxic waste scattered at the site."
Land and Mines Department officers, who were also present, said they would issue a notice under Section 128 of the National Land Code, ordering the owner to restore the land back to its agricultural land status.
Its officer, Sazuli Hamdan, said the department would take immediate action to seize the land if the owner did not comply.
"The owner is still answerable to the use of the land irregardless of who ran this illegal operations. It is his land and he is responsible."
Also present were Department of Environment officers who also took samples of the toxic wastes and said that a full report would be completed in three to four weeks.
Meanwhile, when asked on the severity of the water pollution, Syabas public relations officer Priscilla Alfred declined to comment until investigations were carried out by their officers.
Selayang Municipal Council president Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain (third from left) and officers checking on the abandoned drums and other materials left at the site. Pic by Syarafiq Abd Samad


Read more: Illegal dump site sealed - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/illegal-dump-site-sealed-1.384528#ixzz2tYcadMy4

Saturday, September 28, 2013

KL Eco Film Fest highlights

FROM exploring nature’s powerful role in children’s health and development to the resurgence of electric vehicles, Kuala Lumpur’s innovative environmental film festival has something for everyone.

Now in its sixth year, the Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival, sponsored by Maybank Foundation and Taiwan-based software company Cyberlink, has become one of the country’s grandest and most influential purveyors of environmental film. Many national premieres are included in the line-up including documentaries, narratives, animations and short films. Films are shown throughout the city at partnering museums, embassies, libraries, universities and local theatres.
With a programme curated to offer fresh views on global environmental issues, most of the screenings are accompanied by discussions with filmmakers, environmental experts and special guests.
This year’s festival, which runs from Oct 11-13, will include 66 films from 13 countries, including 18 national premieres. Some highlights include:

A FIERCE GREEN FIRE: THE BATTLE FOR A LIVING PLANET
The film is an exploration of the environmental movement — grassroots and global activism — spanning 50 years from conservation to climate change. From halting dams in the Grand Canyon to battling 20,000 tonnes of toxic waste at Love Canal; from Greenpeace saving the whales to Chico Mendes and the rubber tappers saving the Amazon; from climate change to the promise of transforming our civilisation, the film tells vivid stories about people fighting — and succeeding — against enormous odds.
Narrated by Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Ashley Judd, Van Jones, and Isabel Allende Directed by Mark Kitchell
Running time: 114mins
Screening date: Oct 11, 8pm
Segaris Art Centre, Publika

CHASING ICE
Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet. Within months of his first trip to Iceland, the photographer conceived the boldest expedition of his life: The Extreme Ice Survey. With a band of young adventurers in tow, Balog began deploying revolutionary time-lapse cameras across the brutal Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers.
Directed by Jeff Orlowski
Running time: 75 minutes
Screening date: Sept 30, 8pm
The Square, Publika

REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR
Revenge of the Electric Car The film presents the recent resurgence of electric vehicles as seen through the eyes of four pioneers of the EV revolution. As more models of electric cars than ever before start to arrive in showrooms and driveways across the world, Chris Paine’s film offers an inspiring, entertaining and definitive account of this revolutionary moment in human transportation.
Directed by Chris Paine
Running time: 90 minutes
Screening date: 12 Oct, 8.30pm
The Square, Publika.

SURVIVING PROGRESS
But what if progress is actually spiraling us towards collapse? Ronald Wright, whose best-seller, A Short History Of Progress inspired Surviving Progress, shows how past civilisations were destroyed by “progress traps” — alluring technologies and belief systems that serve immediate needs, but ransom the future. As pressure on the world’s resources accelerates and financial elites bankrupt nations, can our globally-entwined civilisation escape a final, catastrophic progress trap?
Directed by Mathieu Roy, Co-Produced by Martin Scorsese
Running time: 86 minutes.
Screening date: Oct 1, 8pm
Table 23 Restaurant

PANDORA’S PROMISE
Impact Partners, in association with Vulcan Productions and CNN Films, presents this groundbreaking new film by Academy-Award-nominated director Robert Stone. The atomic bomb and meltdowns like Fukushima have made nuclear power synonymous with global disaster. But what if we’ve got nuclear power wrong?
An audience favourite at the Sundance Film Festival, Pandora’s Promise asks whether the one technology we fear most could save our planet from a climate catastrophe, while providing the energy needed to lift billions of people in the developing world out of poverty.
Stone tells the intensely personal stories of environmentalists and energy experts who have undergone a radical conversion from being fiercely anti to strongly pro-nuclear energy, risking their careers and reputations in the process. He also exposes this controversy within the environmental movement head-on with stories of defection by heavy weights including Stewart Brand, Richard Rhodes, Gwyneth Cravens, Mark Lynas and Michael Shellenberger.
Running time: 77 mins
Screening date: Oct 13, 8.30pm
The Square, Publika

Other partners include MAP Publika, UEM Sunrise, Tanamera Tropical Spa Products, Go International, Palate Palette, the Ford Environmental and Conservation Grants Foundation, with IACT College as the official University Partner, and the Tinai Eco Film Festival as its international film festival partner.
For more info visit www.ecofilmfest.my



Read more: KL Eco Film Fest highlights - Live - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/live/kl-eco-film-fest-highlights-1.364218#ixzz2tZ8zCsv7

Friday, September 20, 2013

Gas beracun: 500 penduduk diarah pindah

Source : Utusan Malaysia, 20/9/13
url : http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Jenayah/20130920/je_05/Gas-beracun:-500-penduduk-diarah-pindah

Oleh MALINDA ABDUL MALIK
Keadaan Kampung Pisang menjadi kabus akibat gas hidrogen sulfurik.

PULAU PINANG 19 Sept. - Lebih 500 penduduk Kampung Pisang, Air Itam di sini terpaksa mengosongkan kediaman masing-masing ekoran bau yang dihasilkan oleh gas toksik akibat kebakaran sebuah stor penyimpanan bahan kimia malam tadi.

Dalam kejadian kira-kira pukul 9.30 malam itu, stor simpanan hidrogen sulfurik yang berada di kawasan kampung tersebut terbakar dan menghasilkan bau kuat sehingga membuatkan penduduk panik serta sesak nafas.

Pengarah Bomba dan Penyelamat negeri, Azmi Tamat berkata, pihaknya menerima panggilan pada pukul 9.35 malam mengenai kejadian berkenaan.
Pasukan Unit Bahan Berbahaya (Hazmat) menggunakan dry powder untuk memadamkan api yang berpunca daripada bahan kimia di Kampung Pisang, Air Itam, Pulau Pinang, malam kelmarin.

Menurutnya, sebaik sahaja tiba di kampung itu, anggotanya terhidu bau toksik yang dikesan datang dari stor bahan kimia tersebut.

“Gas toksik itu boleh mengundang bahaya kepada penduduk tetapi kita berjaya mengawal keadaan.
“Setakat ini, tiada kejadian tidak diingini berlaku dan kita berjaya memindahkan dan menghapuskan sisa toksik yang menyebabkan penduduk tidak selesa kerana terhidu gas beracun," katanya ketika ditemui di tempat kejadian malam tadi.

Beliau memberitahu, penduduk dibenarkan pulang ke kediaman masing-masing pada pukul 3 pagi selepas didapati tiada lagi bau gas beracun tersebut.


Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Jenayah/20130920/je_05/Gas-beracun:-500-penduduk-diarah-pindah#ixzz2tTot1MPe
© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd 

Time to rethink our throw-away culture

Source : NST 20/9/13

http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/time-to-rethink-our-throw-away-culture-1.359619?localLinksEnabled=false

ENVIRONMENTAL COST: Manufacturers should take back roducts for proper recycling and processing as part of their corporate social responsibility

EVERYTHING comes with a use-by-date these days.  It's not just food items. Handphones, laptops and other electrical items, even cars, also come with limited lifespan.  All this is done by corporations to encourage consumerism and spending, and as such to ensure repeat purchases.
We got a new electric rice cooker some years back. Because the current rice cooker was still working, we continued to use it. When we took out the new electric rice cooker to use several months later, the LCD panel was not working. We brought it to the repair shop only to be told it was not worth repairing. For RM100 more, we could get a new one.
The implication was that you throw away a perfectly new rice cooker that needed only a part replaced because it was not worth repairing.
I don't think it is worth throwing away just to end up in the landfill. Consumers, retailers -- even repairmen -- think only about the cost of convenience. Why is it that no one thinks about the environmental cost?
Rather than throwing away an item where one part is faulty or the model is a bit outdated, manufacturers should have a policy of replacing the part at a reasonable cost. More often than not, replacing the part costs half the price of a new model!
So, consumers are forced to buy new items while paying more than the repair charges. This just leads to more goods ending up in our landfills and, ultimately, proposed projects like incinerators with the potential to belch toxic elements into the air despite the latest technology to reduce such hazards.
Why is the cause of our consumptive lifestyles not addressed at the onset? If the manufacturer doesn't have a recycling programme, then ethical consumers are left high and dry.
So, I was angry after watching The Lightbulb Conspiracy (http://ecofilmfest.my/community-screenings/film-listing.html). This documentary about the negative effects of consumerism and planned obsolescence argues that the leading manufacturers of incandescent light bulbs conspired in the 1920s to keep the lifetime of their bulbs far below their real technological capabilities to ensure the continuous demand for more bulbs and, hence, long-term profit for themselves. So, the first worldwide cartel was set up to reduce the lifespan of the incandescent light bulb.
In the 1950s, with the birth of the consumer society, the concept took on a whole new meaning as the desire to own something "a little newer, a little better, a little sooner than is necessary..." Sound familiar?
Today, planned obsolescence is pervasive. Cutting-edge electronics are also made with deliberate shortening of product lifespan to guarantee consumer demand. This is very much a sign of our modern society with throw-away lifestyles.
Hence, millions of electrical items are shipped around the world to be dumped in countries like Ghana and China for dismantling rather than being repaired or recycled.
The onus then is for manufacturers to take back their products for proper recycling and processing as part of their corporate social responsibility.
More importantly, future models should be designed to be more re-useable in models introduced to the market.
Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research Associate Professor Chris Ryan suggests that companies follow guidelines set by the United Nations Environment Programme in their "design for environment" guide.
Attention to the design of a product could reduce its environmental impact by as much as 60 to 80 per cent, notes Ryan.
"With toxic waste and pollution increasing on a global scale, the focus in the next two decades will be on the recovery of materials and components," he adds.
Although e-waste in Malaysia is regulated under the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005, local manufacturers, importers and retailers need to go through a paradigm shift to acknowledge that our planet has a finite amount of resources that will run out one day and make or procure products with extended lifespan.
Thankfully, there is a growing spirit of resistance amongst ordinary consumers in the age of the Internet. For example, two artists from New York managed to extend the lives of millions of iPods by raising awareness on the 18-month lifespan of its battery, which resulted in a class action suit against Apple.
The manufacturing giant set up a replacement service for the batteries and extending the warranty of the batteries to two years.


Read more: Time to rethink our throw-away culture - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/time-to-rethink-our-throw-away-culture-1.359619?localLinksEnabled=false#ixzz2tZ6f2dcY

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Stor bahan kimia terbakar, 500 penduduk diarah pindah

PULAU PINANG 19 Sept. - Lebih 500 penduduk Kampung Pisang, Air Itam di sini terpaksa mengosongkan kediaman masing-masing ekoran bau yang dihasilkan oleh gas toksik akibat kebakaran sebuah stor penyimpanan bahan kimia malam tadi.

Dalam kejadian kira-kira pukul 9.30 malam, stor simpanan hidrogen sulfurik yang berada di kawasan kampung tersebut terbakar dan menghasilkan bau kuat sehingga membuatkan penduduk panik serta sesak nafas.

Ketua Pengarah Bomba dan Penyelamat negeri, Azmi Tammat berkata, pihaknya menerima panggilan pada pukul 9.35 malam mengenai kejadian berkenaan.

Menurutnya, sebaik sahaja tiba di kampung itu, anggotanya terhidu bau toksik yang dikesan datang dari stor bahan kimia tersebut.

"Gas toksik itu boleh mengundang bahaya kepada penduduk tetapi kita berjaya mengawal keadaan.
"Setakat ini tiada kejadian tidak diingini berlaku dan kita berjaya memindahkan dan menghapuskan sisa toksik yang menyebabkan penduduk tidak selesa kerana terhidu gas beracun," katanya ketika ditemui di tempat kejadian.

Beliau memberitahu, penduduk dibenarkan pulang ke kediaman masing-masing pada pukul 3 pagi selepas didapati tiada lagi bau gas beracun tersebut. - UTUSAN ONLINE


Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Jenayah/20130919/je_09/Stor-bahan-kimia-terbakar,-500-penduduk-diarah-pindah#ixzz2tTpQ9wgD
© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Usah buang bekas racun dalam sungai

Sumber : Utusan Online, 30/7/13

PULAU PINANG 29 Julai - Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) kesal dengan sikap segelintir pesawah di Kedah yang membuang bekas racun termasuk beg plastik baja ke dalam saliran dan sungai di kawasan sawah padi di negeri berkenaan.

Presiden SAM, S.M. Mohamed Idris berkata, tindakan tersebut bukan sahaja mencemarkan sistem saliran dan sumber air malah turut mengancam pembiakan ikan air tawar di kawasan berkenaan.
"Dalam tinjauan yang dibuat SAM baru-baru ini, kami dapati banyak botol racun dan beg plastik baja terapung di permukaan air di beberapa saliran dan sungai di kawasan Lembaga Kemajuan Pertanian Muda (MADA) dan kawasan sekitar.

"Selain jenama racun keluaran tempatan, kami juga menemui bekas racun yang diharamkan penggunaannya di negara ini," katanya dalam kenyataan di sini hari ini.

S.M. Mohamed berkata, sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini, penggunaan racun oleh pesawah di kawasan MADA dan luar MADA di Kedah begitu aktif dan ketara berikutan ancaman makhluk perosak yang serius seperti tikus, siput gondang dan pembiakan rumput sambau.

"Keadaan ini amat membimbangkan SAM kerana amalan tersebut gagal dikawal dengan berkesan oleh pihak berkenaan.

"Masalah pencemaran air di kawasan sawah menjadi lebih serius apabila terdapat juga pihak yang menggunakan bahan toksik bagi membunuh rumpai untuk membersihkan saliran dan sungai," ujarnya.
Ekoran itu katanya, sisa rumput yang mati akan mendap serta menyebabkan saliran serta sungai menjadi cetek dan lebih buruk lagi tebingnya berpotensi untuk runtuh akibat hakisan.

"Keadaan sedemikian jika berterusan akan mencetuskan ancaman banjir. Oleh itu, SAM menggesa MADA, Jabatan Pertanian dan Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran mengambil tindakan segera bagi mengawal masalah tersebut daripada berterusan," katanya.

Menurutnya, jika keadaan tersebut dibiarkan, alam sekitar akan terjejas dengan lebih teruk lagi pada masa akan datang dan mengancam kesihatan pesawah.

"Selain itu, ikan air tawar yang menjadi punca pendapatan dan sumber protein penduduk luar bandar akan pupus serta ancaman banjir yang lebih buruk mungkin berlaku," katanya.
© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd 

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Tapak pelupusan sisa toksik Pusat Kualiti Alam diubah lokasi

Source : Utusan Malaysia,  11/7/13

SEREMBAN 10 Julai - Tapak pelupusan sisa toksik Pusat Kualiti Alam (Kualiti Alam Sdn. Bhd.) di Bukit Nenas berdekatan Sendayan di sini berkemungkinan diminta mencari lokasi baharu yang lebih sesuai berikutan pembangunan rancak di sekitar kawasan berkenaan.

Kawasan seluas 56 hektar itu mula dibina pada tahun 1992 dan menerima sisa toksik pertamanya 1996 serta diberi lesen untuk beroperasi sehingga tahun 2015.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan berkata, walaupun pihak pengurusan pusat terbabit telah mematuhi undang-undang berkaitan alam sekitar sejak mula beroperasi, berkemungkinan tidak sesuai lagi di kawasan sedia ada itu.

''Kerajaan telah mengadakan rundingan dan berbincang tentang perkara itu bersama pihak pengurusan Kualiti Alam kerana kawasan berkenaan telah dikenal pasti untuk dibangunkan.

''Kami mahu mereka mengkaji perkara ini dengan serius untuk memikirkan semula operasi mereka di sini, memberi jaminan tidak akan berlaku sebarang masalah berhubung alam sekitar sekiranya mereka berhasrat melabur dalam teknologi baharu," katanya dalam sidang akhbar selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Exco di sini hari ini.

Kualiti Alam merupakan pusat pelupusan sisa toksik berjadual yang mempunyai pelbagai teknologi dan dimiliki oleh Kumpulan UEM.

Mohamad berkata, beliau telah mengadakan perbincangan dengan pengurusan kanan UEM berhubung perkara tersebut dua minggu lalu dan mereka meminta supaya tempoh keizinan operasi sehingga 2015 itu disambung.
''Saya beritahu mereka, kerajaan tidak menutup pintu perbincangan tetapi memandangkan pembangunan akan berpusat di kawasan terbabit, kami mahukan jaminan keselamatan orang awam, begitu juga alam sekitar," katanya sambil merujuk yang kerajaan negeri akan meletakkan beberapa syarat ketat, jika pusat ini diizinkan terus beroperasi kelak.

Pada masa sama Mohamad memberitahu, kerajaan akan mendapatkan khidmat perunding untuk menasihati perkara berkaitan kewujudan zon penampan di kawasan itu.

''Apabila pusat itu dibina dahulu, kawasan berkenaan memang terletak di pedalaman dan tidak mempunyai akses laluan. Tetapi sekarang kita telah membuka pembangunan di Enstek dan Sri Sendayan yang hampir dengan pusat itu serta menjadikan kawasan Nilai sebagai lokasi pembangunan baharu," jelas Mohamad.
Sementara itu ditanya berhubung ura-ura bahawa sisa toksik daripada projek Lynas akan dirawat di pusat Kualiti Alam ini, Mohamad berkata, itu tidak dalam pengetahuan beliau.

Bagaimanapun, kerajaan negeri tidak akan membenarkan dilakukan di sini.


Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Selatan/20130711/ws_04/Tapak-pelupusan-sisa-toksik-Pusat-Kualiti-Alam-diubah-lokasi#ixzz2tTvDYzJx
© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd 

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Diving into a clean-up record

SOurce : NST, 30/5/13
Discovery Channel chronicles Astro Kasih’s underwater clean-up effort in a special documentary, writes Bibi Nurshuhada Ramli
THE Astro Kasih Beautiful Malaysia effort to hold the World’s Longest Underwater Clean-up is chronicled in Discovery Channel’s 30-minute exclusive special, Reef Rescuers.
Premiering today at 7pm, the programme showcases the intricacies and commitment of those involved in the conservation project, which earned it a Guinness World Record.
The effort involved 134 divers and 168 hours of non-stop cleaning in seven days (April 6-13) at Tunku Abdul Rahman Park in Sabah. Apart from locals, the divers were from Australia, France, Hong Kong, Lithuania, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States who made over 1,120 dives at 224 dive locations in the park.
Reef Rescuers highlights the challenges the divers faced. Increasingly, the oceans have become dumping grounds for toxic waste, rubbish and other harmful materials, all of which contribute to pollution.
Watch the divers gather over three tonnes of rubbish from the seabed — 1,560kg plastic, 140kg glass and ceramic, 318kg  metal, 357kg  and cloth and 716 pieces of wood and other materials.
Learn about the planning and coordinating behind this giant effort as well as underwater conservation. Meet the unrelenting individuals who work together to preserve Mother Earth and build a sustainable, and pollution-free environment for future generations.
“Considering that some of Malaysia’s seas lie within one of the world’s most bio-diverse regions and form an integral part of the ecological Coral Triangle, marine conservation is especially important here,” says Kevin Dickie, senior vice president of Content Group at Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific at a Press conference.
“One thing that comes through very strongly in the show is the amazing scale of the project which is recognised by the Guinness World Records team. It is the ambition and the scale that has made the show possible.”
He adds that Reef Rescuers serves as a great communication tool in educating the audience on the  threats faced by the coral reefs not only in this region but also around the world.
Astro Community Affairs vice president David Yap says the initiative was conceived about a year ago. He and his team approached the Guinness World Records team in London to seek its recognition of the event.
“The real reason why we wanted Guinness to be part of this was not to achieve a world record but to elevate the awareness of marine conservation. Having Guinness and Discovery Channel on board would certainly help our cause,” he added.
The clean-up was no easy task, considering the run-ins with the weather, boats and scheduling. It took the resolve of the divers and government agencies to put this together.
Krystle Stevens, a diving instructor from the UK and a volunteer who considers Malaysia her second home (her mother was born in the peninsula, has nothing but praises for the Sabah underwater world.
“I was totally blown away (by its beauty). To be involved in an initiative like this where we can make a difference feels incredible, especially in a country where my mum was born,” she says.
Tulasiramanan Ramachandram, a marine biologist from Sabah, was touched by the dedication of his fellow divers for the campaign.
“Other reefs around the world are also threatened. If we can do this for the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, imagine how big an event will it be if every diver out there does the same at every dive,” he says.
Yap adds: “The divers covered a 24km circle around five different islands. Picture yourself picking up rubbish from here (Kuala Lumpur) to Putrajaya. These guys did it underwater so they deserve a big applause.”
Initially, Stevens thought it would be an easy task but it proved to be a challenge.  She felt good whenever she freed a fish from a tangled net.
“I would love to teach other people and spread the message on marine conservation. The effort should not stop here,” she says.
“It would be even greater if all of us tell others to not only collect the rubbish but also to stop throwing it altogether,” Tulasiramanan  says: “This is a global problem. We would have a cleaner ocean in five years if we do this.”
Reef Rescuers premieres today on Discovery Channel (Astro Channel 551) at 7pm. Repeats tomorrow (1pm), Sunday (5pm), June 4 (7pm) and June 5 (midnight and 1pm).
 
The divers were totally committed to the project.


Read more: Diving into a clean-up record - Travel - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/holiday/diving-into-a-clean-up-record-1.289214#ixzz2tZ7dTD9i

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Laporan IAEA : Kontroversi Isu Loji Pemprosesan Nadir Bumi LYNAS

Source : http://maribinablog.blogspot.com/2013/01/laporan-iaea-kontroversi-isu-loji.html


Satu kajian telah dilakukan oleh IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) dari segi aspek keselamatan radiasi bagi loji pemprosesan nadir bumi Lynas di Gebeng, Kuantan dari penghujung Mei hingga awal Jun 2011. Kajian yang dilakukan dalam tempoh ini adalah hasil dari jemputan dan komitmen kerajaan Malaysia, bagi memastikan sejauh mana tahap keselamatan radiasi loji pemprosesan nadir bumi Lynas.

Menurut laporan IAEA, pemprosesan nadir bumi Lynas bermula dengan aktiviti perlombongan dan diikuti proses penyaringan di Mt. Weld, Australia Barat. Nadir bumi yang telah melalui proses saringan ini kemudian dihantar ke Gebeng, Kuantan bagi proses menghasilkan produk akhir.

Beberapa perkara penting yang dipetik dari laporan IAEA ialah nadir bumi yang diimport dari Mt. Weld, Australia Barat dan kaedah pengurusan sisa bahan berkenaan di Malaysia adalah selari dengan garis panduan antarabangsa bagi kaedah pemprosesan bahan galian yang juga merangkumi bahan galian semulajadi bersifat radioaktif (NORM, Natural Occuring Radioactive Material) .

IAEA turut menyemak perkara ini melalui RPP (Radiation Protection Program) oleh Lynas dan membuat kesimpulan bahawa sekiranya RRP ini diimplementasikan,  tidak akan ada kesan radiologi berbahaya kepada orang awam dan pekerja apabila loji beroperasi.


Menurut laporan IAEA, peraturan keselamatan radioaktif di Malaysia juga adalah lebih ketat berbanding apa yang telah digariskan oleh IAEA. Sebagai contoh, dos yang diterima orang awam ialah 0.3mSv/year dan bagi pekerja loji pula 10mSv/year berbanding limit dos yang dibenarkan IAEA iaitu 20mSv/year. Dari panduan keselamatan oleh IAEA, bahan dengan konsentrasi aktiviti radionuklid di bawah 1Bq/g berada dalam lingkungan batu-batuan dan tanah yang biasa dan tidak dianggap sebagai radioaktif.

Bahan yang mempunyai konsentrasi aktiviti radionuklid dalam lingkungan 1Bq/g hingga 10Bq/g pula boleh dianggap radioaktif, namun boleh dipertimbangkan untuk pengecualian dari badan-badan kerajaan yang bertanggungjawab mengawal selia perlesanan (AELB ).

Walau bagaimanapun, ini juga bergantung sekiranya dos radiasi yang diterima oleh individu tidak melebihi 1mSv/year. Hasil kajian RIA (Radiological Impact Assesment) mendapati dos purata radiasi bagi pekerja yang terdedah ialah 2mSv/year . Kajian dibuat berdasarkan anggaran maksima 400 orang pekerja di loji Lynas. Oleh yang demikian, dalam kes ini pengecualian perlesenan dari AELB (Atomic Energy Licensing Board) adalah tidak dibenarkan.

Dari segi pengurusan sisa, loji Lynas menghasilkan 3 jenis sisa iaitu Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) , Neutralization Underflow (NUF) dan Water Leach Purification (WLP). Konsentrasi aktiviti radionuklid bagi FGD dan NUF adalah hampir sama dengan nilai bagi batu-batuan dan tanah di Malaysia.


Walau bagaimanapun, tiada peruntukan peraturan AELB bagi membolehkan FGD dan NUF dikecualikan dari klasifikasi sisa radioaktif. IAEA walau bagaimanapun telah mencadangkan supaya AELB memperuntukkan kriteria yang membenarkan FGD dan NUF diisytiharkan sebagai tidak radioaktif untuk membolehkan bahan ini dikeluarkan dari loji dan sekiranya perlu, ia diisytiharkan sebagai bahan buangan berjadual.

Pasukan yang membuat kajian ini juga mengalu-alukan usaha Lynas untuk memproses semula sisa bahan pepejal (WLP) yang dihasilkan loji kedalam bentuk yang boleh diguna pakai semula. Sisa yang terhasil ini akan di simpan secara sementara di tempat penyimpanan sisa (RSF, Residue Storage Facility) sebelum dikitar semula. Sisa yang tidak boleh dikitar semula akan dilupuskan di tempat pelupusan sisa.

Undang-undang di Malaysia memperuntukkan 5 jenis lesen bagi membolehkan pembangunan dan pengoperasian loji-loji seumpamanya di negara ini dan 5 jenis lesen yang dimaksudkan ialah lesen menduduki, lesen pembinaan, lesen pra-pengoperasian, lesen pengoperasian dan lesen bagi operasi pemuliharaan (decontiminate).

Kajian dilakukan oleh IAEA adalah berdasarkan dokumentasi yang diperoleh bagi fasa di bawah lesen pembinaan. Bagi fasa seterusnya Lynas akan menghantar dokumen-dokumen berkaitan kepada AELB Malaysia untuk diteliti bagi tujuan perlesenan pra-pengoperasian dan pengoperasian.
IAEA telah membahagikan skop kajian kepada 5 perkara iaitu dari segi aspek perlindungan radiasi , pengurusan sisa, pemuliharaan , pengangkutan, dan penilaian keselamatan. Kajian yang dilakukan membabitkan pakar dari 5 buah negara iaitu Leo M. Lowe (Canada) , Ulric Schwela (United Kingdom), P.M.B Pillai (India), Jan Van Der Steen (Belanda) , Dennis Wymer (Afrika Selatan) dan beberapa kakitangan dari IAEA itu sendiri.

Hasil kajian yang diperolehi dari pakar-pakar dan kakitangan IAEA menyatakan operasi kilang Lynas di Gebeng mematuhi segala garis panduan keselamatan radiasi yang ditetapkan standard antarabangsa. Walau bagaimanapun 7 perkara dibangkitkan iaitu;


1. Pelan pengurusan sisa bagi jangka panjang oleh Lynas kepada AELB bagi penilaian.

2. Pelan pengurusan sisa dan pemuliharaan kawasan sekitar apabila operasi dihentikan oleh Lynas kepada AELB bagi penilaian.

3. AELB perlu menggunakan data-data yang diperoleh apabila loji mula beroperasi dan kesan kepada pekerja dan penduduk sekitar untuk penilaian yang lebih tepat.

4. AELB perlu mencadangkan satu kriteria yang membenarkan Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) dan sisa bagi Neutralization Underflow (NUF) diisytiharkan sebagai tidak radioaktif untuk membolehkan bahan ini dikeluarkan dari loji dan sekiranya perlu, ia diistiharkan sebagai bahan buangan berjadual.

5. AELB perlu melaksanakan mekanisma bagi memperoleh dana pengurusan sisa dalam tempoh jangka masa yang panjang dengan Lynas sebagai penyumbang dana.

6. Kerajaan Malaysia perlu memastikan operasi loji Lynas di Gebeng mempunyai tenaga kerja mahir,kewangan yang kukuh serta sumber-sumber teknikal yang mencukupi.

7. Adalah menjadi tanggungjawab AELB dan Kementerian berkaitan untuk mengemaskini panduan terutama perkara berkaitan (NORM, Natural Occuring Radioactive Material) berdasarkan standard antarabangsa yang terkini.



Selain itu, kumpulan yang mewakili orang awam ini turut mencadangkan supaya AELB dan Lynas memainkan peranan yang efektif dalam memberi penjelasan yang mudah difahami terutama dari segi keselamatan dan kesan operasi loji pemprosesan nadi bumi Lynas pada orang awam.