ALOR STAR: The Kulim Sessions Court today fined a lubricant waste recycling company in Padang Serai RM10,000 for operating without a licence.
Judge Mirza Mohamad passed down the sentence after the company owner entered a guilty plea when the case was called for mention today.
State Department of Environment (DoE) director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab sad the owner of the premises was charged under Section 18(1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
The prosecution was handled by the state DoE prosecution officer.
Sharifah Zakiah said according to the facts, the premises was found to have stored scheduled waste categorised as scheduled lubricant waste Code SW305, which is listed under the First Schedule of the Scheduled Waste Quality Environment Regulations 2005 without a licence from the DoE.
The maximum fine for the offence is RM50,000 or an imprisonment of not more than two years.
She said the department had launched an investigation on the premises following a public complaint received through its e-Aduan, an online complaint system.
Sharifah Zakiah stressed that the collection, recycling and disposing of scheduled material including lubricant was only to be managed by premises licensed by the DoE.
"This is to prevent pollution issues in the event the waste materials are not properly processed according to the right procedure and not using proper equipment.
"It is also meant to prevent illegal disposal of residues that could not be recycled into the environment," she said.