BY PRIYA MENON

The rubbish left inside the waste recycling factory and warehouse near Jalan Bukit Badak, Kampung Baru Subang. — Photos: SHAARI CHE MAT/The Star

SINCE January, a horrible stench has been plaguing residents near Jalan Bukit Badak, Kampung Baru Subang, due to a waste recycling factory and warehouse.

Many residents said they had been having constant headaches and sore throats caused by the smell that lingered in the air almost 24 hours a day.

Initially, they were unsure of the smell and consulted one another to determine the source.

Bakery operator Chow Lan, 60, said customers going to her shop complained about the smell on every visit and she had no answers.

Since the waste recycling factory began operations, Chow Lan has also had to battle flies in her shop.

Each day, she catches hundreds of flies on fly paper and is quick to hide it when customers enter.

“At least I get to close my doors until a customer walks in. My neighbour has a car accessories shop and is exposed to the smell all the time. I do not know how they cope,” she added.

Also having to close her doors and give up her routine of sweeping her front yard was 74-year-old Normah Sulaiman.

The factory also pumps water from the river behind the warehouse and dumps the used dirty water back into it.

The housewife enjoys her day out chatting with neighbours but finds herself trapped at home now because of the smell that induces headaches.

Normah said the smell intensified during the fasting month and was worse during the early hours of the morning.

“I keep sneezing because of the smell, we never had this problem before,” she said.

In fact, the anguish she suffered was so bad that when she found out about a fire at the location of the plastic factory, she was actually glad to be rid of them.

Unfortunately, the victims of the fire were two neighbouring factories who had, in fact, lodged complaints against the warehouse.

Rokonma (M) Sdn Bhd sales director Chong Kak Fang said initially the factory was operating round the clock until they lodged the reports and even carried out a signature campaign in March.

“All the neighbours signed a letter and we collected 101 signatures against the warehouse. Even the Chinese school, SJK(C) Subang lodged a complaint with the authorities,” he added.

Following the complaints, all activities at the factory were conducted at night.

Apart from that, the factory also pumps water from the river behind the warehouse and dumps the used dirty water back into it.

Locals have reached out to Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), the Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) as well as the Selangor Occupational Health and Safety Department for help.

Neighbours also tried contacting the warehouse owner but were turned away at the door by the workers.

Another neighbour sent a legal notice to the warehouse, asking them to clear up the rubbish piling up on the lot as well as an adjacent vacant lot.

When contacted, Shah Alam municipal councillor Foong Saik Hoong said he was aware of the issue and the factory had been issued summonses.

“Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) initially received a complaint from DOE in March stating that complaints were received from the school and residents of Jalan Bukit Badak,” he confirmed.

Foong said he also subsequently lodged complaints against the warehouse with MBSA and a notice was issued in April followed by a compound notice in May.

The compound notice, with a fine of RM10,000, was issued for illegal operations.

The factory had applied for a licence in March but the application was rejected due to the number of complaints lodged against it.

However, despite the summonses and complaints, the factory is still operating.

“I will appeal to MBSA and mayor Datuk Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad to shut down the factory and warehous since they are illegal and causing a nuisance to the people, not to mention polluting the river as well,” stressed Foong.