THE toxic substances found contaminating Sg Kim Kim in Johor’s Pasir Gudang area are linked to chemicals used to recycle tyres, said Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin.

“The Department of Environment (DOE) has sent samples to the Chemistry Department to get a more detailed analysis. The result shows they contain organic solvents such as delaminate. This is used in tyre pyrolysis,” Yeo said in Parliament this morning.

Pyrolysis is a method for recycling old tyres by heating up whole or shredded tyres in a reactor vessel. In the reactor, the rubber softens as its polymers break down.

Yeo said the government has mobilised its resources from other states to inspect the 254 chemical factories in Pasir Gudang.

“The most important thing is to clean the river of contaminants and ensure there is not further contamination.”

To manage the contamination, Yeo said several committees have been formed.

“There is a special operations centre set up at the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council. A command centre is also up to manage the monitoring and cleaning up work with the DOE, hazmat team and a cleaning company.”

She said portable gas detectors are being deployed to the area as toxic fumes from these chemical properties are volatile organic compounds.

“If more toxic gas is detected, we will do a map to measure the parameters with more accuracy.

“The team will also be tasked with sampling water in three illegal dumping locations and the mouth and ends of Sg Kim Kim,” said Yeo.

She said national oil company Petronas has also sent 21 experts and equipment, including an air dispeller modeller to check movement of gases.

Earlier, Ahmad Maslan (Pontian-BN) asked the minister to explain the steps taken to address the toxic waste contamination in Pasir Gudang.

Ahmad said the government should amend the Environment Quality Act 1974 to provide for sterner punishments against those who flout the law.

“The government should consider a relief fund for those affected by the contamination. And if there’s no compensation, they should be able to sue the companies,” he said.

Following the illegal waste dumping of toxic wastes into Sg Kim Kim, some 200 people, many of them students, have been hospitalised or treated for inhaling toxic fumes.

All of the area’s 111 schools have been closed until further notice.

According to the DOE, the contamination was caused by black oil thrown into Sg Kim Kim. Among the substances include methane, hydrogen chloride, acrylonitrile, acrolein, benzene, toulene, xylene and limonene. – March 14, 2019