SG Kim Kim is confirmed clean and safe, said Yeo Bee Yin, 13 days after toxic waste was illegally dumped into the river.

The energy, science, technology, environment and climate change minister said monitoring remains crucial, and will be carried out for 15 days.

“Now, I no longer wear a mask, but monitoring is crucial because we have to take into account things that might happen.

“Overall, it is clean, but we will continue to monitor the river, to assure the people that it is safe,” she told reporters in Johor Baru today.

She said the cleaning operation is done, and contractors are now in the process of transferring the collected waste to a disposal area.

The clean-up of the affected 1.5km stretch began on March 13 and ended two days ago. Besides the appointed contractors, the operation also involved the Fire and Rescue Department.

Yeo said a report by the ministry’s scientific committee will be made known tomorrow, adding that it will include an analysis of the pollution and the methods used to decontaminate the river.

Asked whether the clean-up works will affect Sg Kim Kim’s natural flow, she said: “We will share the full report tomorrow. We will give detailed information on the river’s flow and other things… Tomorrow, we will answer.”

Some 900 metric tonnes of contaminated soil and 1,500 metric tonnes of polluted water have been collected.

The waste is being transported in stages, with the process expected to wrap up on Thursday.  – Bernama, March 19, 2019.