SUNGAI PETANI: A scheduled waste recycling factory handling electrical and electronic waste in the Bukit Selambau Industrial Area was fined RM20,000 by the Sessions Court here today for operating without a licence from the Department of Environment (DoE).
Judge Roslan Hamid imposed the fine after the company, STN Union Sdn Bhd, pleaded guilty to the charge.
The company was accused of committing the offence on Dec 9, 2023.
The prosecution was led by DoE officers Munif Mat Rus and Diana Wahida Ruslan, while the company was unrepresented.
The company sought leniency, noting it had since obtained the necessary licence.
However, the prosecution called for a suitable penalty to deter unlicensed operations.
Kedah DoE director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the legal action stemmed from a major fire at three recycling facilities in the Bukit Selambau Industrial Area on Dec 3, 2023.
"An investigation on Dec 9, 2023 revealed that the company ... had stored scheduled electrical and electronic waste for recycling without a valid DoE licence," she said.
Sharifah Zakiah advised anyone planning to enter the recycling industry to consult the DoE to ensure compliance with all legal requirements before making any investments or commencing operations.
The fire at Bukit Selambau affected three recycling facilities storing materials such as metal, wires, and copper.