"Probe into Jenjarom battery plant to take 2 weeks", 19 April 2019

The state government is expected to take two weeks to investigate the Jenjarom lead-acid battery manufacturing plant alleged to be causing pollution.

Selangor Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said...a fire at the factory in 2017 may have caused some pollution.

...He confirmed that the factory has ceased operations until further notice.

He said the factory was only allowed to fill up the batteries with acid and was not approved to melt lead.

However, he said the factory has been carrying out lead-smelting activity since January 2018.

...The factory manager, Lee Ah Ban, said the plant is focused on protecting the environment.

"We started operations in 2014 without any environmental issues. The only problem we had was the fire in 2017."

Lee said with the guidance of the Department of Environment and an environmental consulting company, the plant removed all burnt materials using licensed contractors.

"When we resumed operations in September 2018, water effluent and air emission monitoring results, conducted by third-party contractors, were shown to be within environmental limits.

"However, after two months, in November 2018, we received a public complaint on acidic water discovered within the factory perimeter," he said.

He said that the factory was now monitoring this issue closely.

...[A]bout 50 villagers protested in front of the factory, urging the government to take stern action against the factory.