27/06/2012(Borneo Post) - The Department of Environment (DoE) will control and monitor the disposal of scheduled wastes generated by palm oil plantations, starting with Miri in September.

The department has been successful in doing the same with dockyards and shipyards in the division, its state director Ismail Ithnin said when met after a seminar on Scheduled Wastes Management and Industry Compliances to Environmental Quality Act, 1974 here yesterday.

“The department has never controlled and monitored oil palm plantations before this but we have issued letters to the over 300 plantations operating here and Limbang.

“They have to comply with the Environmental Quality Act and we are supposed to do this programme with the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) in Sept this year,” he added.

Among the activities to be monitored are disposal of used, black and filtered oils, and containers of pesticides and fertilizers.

“They cannot just simply dispose their pesticide and fertilizer containers. They must keep them properly,” said Ismail, adding that most of the containers ended up in villages and longhouses for storing of water and other things.

Meanwhile, a total of 60 compounds were issued by the department to dockyards and shipyards here last year for non-compliance of Environment Quality Act 1974.

Meanwhile, the proposed three schedule waste recovery plants to be built in the state would help to reduce the cost of managing and disposal of schedule wastes. Currently all schedule wastes are shipped to Peninsular Malaysia and elsewhere for total recovery. The process incurred excessive cost by both waste producers and transporters and collectors.

“They have been awarded to three companies in Kuching following the environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports,” said Ismail.