How does river pollution impact marine life in Johor?

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River pollution is killing marine life in Johor’s affected river systems and pushing mussels toward extinction.

River pollution in Johor is choking waterways with litter, rubber tyres and plastic fragments, and the damage is already reaching marine life in the rivers and the larger systems they feed into. The most polluted rivers are concentrated in Pasir Gudang, while water in the Straits of Johor has been found to contain lead, chromium, cadmium, arsenic and nickel.
The worst pollution is concentrated in Pasir Gudang’s river network.
Sixteen of the state’s most polluted rivers are in Pasir Gudang, including Sungai Kopok, Kim Kim, Tukang Batu, Laloh, Buluh, Perembi, Masai, Rekoh, Plentong, Tebrau, Stulang, Skudai, Danga, Melayu, Perepat and Pentas. The affected waterways include Sungai Perembi, Sungai Buluh and Sungai Tukang Batu, which are described as the most badly hit.
Waste and toxic buildup are damaging the water itself.
Trash gathers on river banks as small islands of rubbish, then gives off a thick, foul and toxic smell under the tropical sun. The pollution is not limited to visible waste: analysis of water in the Straits of Johor found heavy toxic metals including lead, chromium, cadmium, arsenic and nickel.
Marine life in the rivers is being directly threatened.
The pollution is said to be endangering marine life in river systems that feed into larger waterways. Mussels growing in these rivers are reported to be nearing extinction because the contamination continues.
Industrial and domestic waste are feeding the problem.
Along the 46km stretch of Sungai Skudai alone, there are 1,780 commercial industries, 1,532 small and medium businesses and 172 sewage treatment plants. Waste from factories, sewage plants, domestic cleaning wastewater and general rubbish has also been found in Sungai Skudai, Danga, Melayu, Perepat and Pendas, and all of it flows into multiple river channels in the area.

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How does river pollution impact marine life in Johor?

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