NIBONG TEBAL: The Department of Environment (DoE) has opened two investigation papers (IP) in connection with the Pulau Burung landfill fire here last Wednesday.
State Department of Environment (DoE) director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the IPs were opened under Sections 29A and 34A of the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974.
Section 29A is for open burning while Section 34A is to look at the compliance of the landfill to EIA conditions imposed on them.
"Based on this incident (Pulau Burung landfill fire), we have opened two IPs and investigations are underway," she told the New Straits Times today.
It was reported that more than 4ha of the 16ha Pulau Burung landfill was razed by fire last Wednesday afternoon.
However, pollutants at the landfill began affecting those at nearby Ladang Byram and Kampung Kebun Baru, resulting in the evacuation of some 400 residents from both villages.
10 schools, within a 10km radius of the landfill, were also ordered to close for three days until today.
The Pulau Burung landfill has since been declared as a Level 1 disaster area by the National Security Council (NSC).
Sharifah Zakiah said this was not the first time the state DoE had acted against the company managing the landfill.
"From what I can summarise, PLB Terang Sdn Bhd had been issued with a total 14 notices earlier. We have also issued two compounds against the company for open burning under Section 29A of the EQA 1974.
"There is a court case with regards to leachate management. It will go on trial next month," she added.
Meanwhile, Sharifah Zakiah said there has been a slight improvement in air quality readings in the affected areas outside the Pulau Burung landfill.
"We sent our monitoring teams immediately after we were informed of the incident to detect any pollutants in the form of gas and dust emitted from the landfill. Looking at the current trend, the reading is showing improvements.
"Also, the water bombing exercise for the past two days has yielded some positive results," she added.
Sharifah Zakiah said while smoke from the landfill could spread to other areas due to the wind, their focus now was more on the affected areas.