Palm
oil plant blamed for beach pollution
DAILY EXPRESS NEWS (Independent National Newspaper of East Malaysia)
14 June, 2007
KUANTAN: At least one kilometre of the beach in Kampung Selamat
Pelabuhan near here is covered by smelly brown liquid.
Pahang Environment Department investigating officer Corina Md Amin said
a spill of about five tonnes of disused vegetable oil from a nearby
palm oil plant was believed to be the cause.
She said the department received information about the pollution at
10am Wednesday from the public.
"It is believed that the oil spilled from a storage tank due to
negligence and it flowed into the drains and towards the beach," she
told reporters Wednesday.
In-depth investigations were being conducted under Section 27 of the
Environmental Quality Act 1974, she said.
Corina said that to prevent the spill from spreading, the department
and the plant had initially placed floating booms around the affected
area.
"However, the method cannot be used in shallow waters. So, we clean the
polluted water using ordinary detergent," she said.
The plant's management could not be reached for comment. - Bernama
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=50651
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