INDUSTRIES will be asked to adopt high-risk schools that are close to factories to ensure future toxic waste incidents can be contained, said Yeo Bee Yin.

“The ministry will have a school adoption programme where industries will be asked to provide gas detectors and air purifiers to the schools they are responsible for,” the energy, science, technology, environment and climate change minister told Dewan Rakyat this morning.

Yeo said this was one of the six action plans to tackle the air pollution issue in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

“The first step is to build a real time gas detector station in the area and to purchase an equipment to measure toxic gas movements such as GASMET to monitor the area.

“The government will also develop a system to analyse and determine the air carrying capacity in a highly industrialised zone such as Pasir Gudang.

“As Pasir Gudang is the most important industrial hub in Johor, the government will start a Department of Environment in Pasir Gudang to step up the enforcement and monitoring activities.

“Factories in the area will also be required to install Continuous Emission Monitoring System,” said Yeo. – July 4, 2019.

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