What environmental laws did the factories violate?

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Factories Breached Environmental Laws Related to Waste Recycling and Pollution Control

Two plastic waste recycling facilities in Selangor, Lee Soo Hua (Lai Huat) & Sons Sdn Bhd and Revolution Eco Enterprise, were fined for multiple environmental law violations. Lee Soo Hua (Lai Huat) & Sons Sdn Bhd was found guilty of breaching Section 34A (2) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 for conducting used plastic recycling without prior approval from the Director-General of the Department of Environment (DoE). Additionally, the company violated Regulation 5(1)(b) and 7(1) of the Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014, failing to inform the DoE of air-polluting activities and neglecting to install equipment to control air pollution.
Lee Soo Hua (Lai Huat) & Sons Sdn Bhd's Violations

The company, based in Jenjarom, Selangor, was fined RM70,000 in total across three charges. The primary breach involved recycling solid waste in the form of used plastics without obtaining the necessary approval from the DoE director-general, contravening Section 34A (2) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974. This offence carries a maximum penalty of a RM500,000 fine or up to five years imprisonment. Furthermore, the factory failed to notify the DoE about its air-polluting activities and did not implement any systems to control the smell and smoke emitted from its plastic cooking and liquefying machines, leading to convictions under the Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014.
Revolution Eco Enterprise's Infractions

Revolution Eco Enterprise faced penalties totalling RM50,000 for its non-compliance. Similar to the first company, it was convicted under Section 34A (2) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 for carrying out plastic waste recycling activities without the DoE director-general's prior approval. This infraction alone resulted in a RM30,000 fine. The company also breached Regulation 4(1)(a) of the Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations 2009 by failing to provide written notification to the DoE regarding its industrial effluent-producing activities, specifically those related to washing plastics, which generated such effluent without any management system in place.
Penalties and Context of Enforcement

The court imposed a RM30,000 fine on Lee Soo Hua (Lai Huat) & Sons Sdn Bhd for the Section 34A (2) offence, with a one-year jail term as an alternative. For the two breaches under the Clean Air Regulations, the company was fined RM20,000 for each, with a one-year jail term as an alternative for each. Revolution Eco Enterprise received a RM30,000 fine for its Section 34A (2) violation and a RM20,000 fine for the industrial effluent notification breach, with a one-year jail term as an alternative for both. These convictions are part of a broader crackdown on illegal plastic waste recycling operations in Malaysia, following complaints of pollution, particularly in Selangor.

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