The Kedah Environment Department has shut down a factory in the Bukit Selambau Industrial Area, Sungai Petani, for operating unlicensed offsite scheduled waste storage and recovery activities. The enforcement action, carried out on August 5, found the facility operating without Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval or a valid license.
Officials discovered approximately 100 tonnes of used lithium batteries, 317 tonnes of crushed used batteries both classified as scheduled waste, an additional 20 tonnes of recovered metal powder were also found on site. The factory’s equipment was seized under Section 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, as operations lacked pollution control systems and departmental approval.
Investigations are ongoing under Sections 18(1), 34A(6), and 34B(1) of the Act. Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying monitoring and enforcement against illegal waste processing, citing environmental pollution and public health risks, and urged the public to report violations through the department’s hotline or online platform.