State entrepreneurship, human resources, climate change, cooperatives and consumerism committee chairman S Veerapan said the DoE conducted 31 integrated operations in collaboration with other enforcement agencies, Bernama reported.

“The DoE regularly conducts patrols to detect diesel vehicles emitting excessive black smoke.

“The vehicle owners are required to undergo a Computerised Vehicle Inspection (Puspakom) until they achieve a reading below 50 HSU (Hartridge Smoke Unit) to pass,” he said today after the 2024 World Ozone Day celebration and launch of integrated motor vehicle operations at the Seremban R&R on the North-South Expressway.

Also present were DoE state director Hamzah Mohamad and PLUS central region manager Hot Hamzah.

On a separate matter, Veerapan said the DoE had directed landowners to clean up the illegally dumped chemical waste, believed to be paint and oil, in the Bukit Pelanduk area of Port Dickson.

Veerapan said investigations are ongoing to identify those responsible for the illegal dumping of 100 used paint drums, each with a capacity of 210 litres, and 50 tanks, each containing 1,000 litres of oil. The dumping is believed to have occurred three months ago.

Veerapan also suggested that local authorities install closed-circuit television cameras at strategic locations, particularly in concealed areas, to deter such incidents.

He said the chemistry department had also collected samples and an investigation paper will be initiated under Section 34B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

Hamzah clarified that the landowner had agreed to carry out the cleanup. However, the costs involved are still under discussion.

“The landowner was unaware of the dumping on the property, but the case is still under investigation.”