ALOR STAR: The air quality around Bukit Selambau has been deemed safe, following a fire that consumed three recycling warehouses containing chemicals on Sunday.
Kedah Department of Environment (DoE) director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said a series of rainfall post-incident had aided in cleansing the polluted air.
However, she said the area which was directly affected by the fire, still exhibited relatively high pollutant levels.
"We deployed two air quality measurement devices. The air quality around Bukit Selambau is deemed safe, except for ground zero.
"For now, that area still has higher levels of pollutants, requiring the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for entry," she said in a statement today.
Sharifah Zakiah said the DoE had received clearance to proceed with an investigation at a part of the burned site, following approval from the Fire and Rescue Department.
"We have collected waste samples, including electronic and electrical waste. These samples have been sent to the State Chemical Department for analysis," she added.
Meanwhile, Sharifah Zakiah said drone flights had been conducted to capture a comprehensive visual overview of the affected area.
"Operations are ongoing to identify any pollution originating from the site or nearby sources," she added.
Yesterday, it was reported that a fire broke out at Bukit Selambau on Sunday, involving three warehouses storing used items such as metal, wires and copper.
Sharifah Zakiah reportedly said that the three recycling warehouses were operating illegally, and failed to comply with DoE regulations.