KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Environment (DOE) is targeting to raise the compliance of 10 industrial sectors this year.

       Its director-general, Wan Abdul Latif Wan Jaffar said these comprised the electro-plating and metal-finishing, paper, metal manufacturing, plastic, non-metallic minerals, edible oil extraction, food and beverage, chemical, rubber-based and crude oil distillation industries.

       He said these industries had been identified as having a low level of compliance with the relevant regulations in 2021, especially industrial premises that produced effluents.

       "In 2021, DOE managed to increase the number of enforcement inspections to 22,679 from 22,555 in 2020, an increase of 19%.

       "To ensure adherence to the Environmental Quality Act 1974, the DOE has also undertaken the high-impact initiative of conducting 121 raids across the country on 2,707 premises of several industries,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (March 9)

       Wan Abdul Latif said 10,396 enforcement actions were also taken against industrial premises which failed to comply with the provisions in the Act.

       These included the issuing of 7,050 compound notices, seizure of operations equipment (173), instruction notices (2,799), prohibition orders (six), seizure of operations equipment (173) and licence suspensions (21) as well as 347 investigation papers opened for prosecution in court.

       "The DOE has always taken stern action and there have been no compromise with the environmental offenders. The public is urged to report any activity that could pollute the environment by calling the 24-hour and toll-free line 1-800- 88-2727 or email to aduan_k@doe.gov.my or e-aduan JAS portal at ttps://eaduan.doe.gov.my,” he said. - Bernama