Post-closure management of Jinjang dumpsite?

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw urges the City Hall Kuala Lumpur (CHKL) to ensure that there is long-term management of the Taman Beringin dumpsite after closure.

This morning Dr Tan visited the dumpsite in Jinjang North to see if the Government had actually closed it down. There had been several announcements in the last few years on closure. But, CHKL continued to dump rubbish there. What was said to be building waste also contained household rubbish. Scavengers were active.

We see fewer lorries entering and leaving the site. We shall monitor it to see whether the closure starting today is genuine. Then, we hope CHKL will follow with long-term management of the dumpsite.

Jinjang North had had dumpsite for over 30 years. Previously, there was a dumpsite a stone's throw away from Taman Beringin. After over 20 years, the site was closed down with no follow-up management of the leachage and gases.

Even when CHKL says it is closing down the dumpsite, it has built a transfer station nearby. Lorries carrying waste continue to come to Jinjang North albeit through a different route.

Now, KL folks generate about 3,000 tonnes of waste daily. Hitherto, most of it was dumped in Jinjang North. So, CHKL must look after the health of Jinjang and Kepong people who have been exposed to a generation of toxicity.

It is a right beginning that CHKL has engaged Cypark to build leachage treatment plant and pipes to disperse gases from the waste. It must have regular analyses of the leachage and gases.