PRECIOUS METALS: Companies urged to reprocess waste instead
BANGI: MORE precious metals will be extracted from toxic waste when industrial companies opt for "full recovery" method (to reprocess the waste) at over 300 recovery plants nationwide, said Department of Environment (DOE) director-general Datuk Halimah Hassan.
Halimah said precious metals, such as gold, silver and lead, could be extracted from the toxic waste and e-waste (electronic waste) when the materials were completely reprocessed.
"Industries have moved from the 'cradle to grave' (disposal of waste as is) to the 'cradle to cradle' (recovery method) approach, where waste materials are now reused as raw materials, either through 'recovery' or 'direct reuse' (recycling) method," she said after launching a Seminar on Scheduled Wastes 2014 at a hotel here yesterday.
Halimah said the recovery method which helps prevent the depletion of natural resources, would also contribute to the country's economy, adding there are 357 recovery plants nationwide, out of which 153 recovers e-waste.
She said as of 2012, about 2.8 million metric tonnes of scheduled waste were produced by various industries in Malaysia.
These wastes include sludge, oil and solvent, toxic, e-waste, clinical, polluted containers, acid and alkaline and used batteries.
Terengganu topped the list in 2012 as the highest producer of scheduled waste with 20.9 per cent, followed by Johor (20.14 per cent), Perak (14.23 per cent), Selangor (12.87 per cent), Penang (8.58 per cent) and other states (23.28 per cent).
Of the total toxic waste in 2012, 35.15 per cent or 600,672.22 metric tonnes of raw materials were recovered.
Halimah said each recovery plant was given the licence to recover a specific metal and the industries would send the toxic waste to the respective plant.
"We also control and monitor the recovery plants to ensure the process is done in a proper manner, without causing added pollution.
"We hope all the industries will adopt the cradle to cradle approach in handling toxic waste for the betterment of the nation."
DOE Hazardous Substances division director Che Asmah Ibrahim, said with the "recovery" method, there would be lesser need to mine new resources.
She said the extraction of precious metal was considered as "full recovery", but only few companies undertook the method and extracted gold or other precious metals.
"In order to move towards a developed nation status, it is crucial to protect the environment and manage natural resources well."
The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers council member Datuk Mizanur Rahman Ghani said new industries, which use recovered materials as raw materials, had been created following the adoption of the "full recovery" and "direct reuse" methods.
"Industrial development must not be at the cost of the environment.
"There is a need for a balanced development in the country.
"Hence, we get to have a better quality of life and living standard," said Mizanur, who is also the Environmental Management Committee chairman.
"When this happens, it's also an indicator of the economic standing and position of the country as we want to move into the developed country stage."
He also said the industries were now more environmentally conscious and were willing to invest in technology that recovers waste to boost their revenue.
Read more: 'Opt for recovery method' - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/opt-for-recovery-method-1.469311#ixzz2tYgQw5Xx
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