Mayor names nine toxic industries on environment day
Mayor names nine toxic industries on environment day
Multa Fidrus and Evi Mariani, Tangerang/Jakarta
Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim on Thursday named nine industrial
firms he said were responsible for polluting the municipality and
said another 83 firms had yet to provide details about how they
disposed of hazerdous waste.
The firms named were PT Argo Pantas, Perlita Cenkareng,
Indometal, Surya Renggo, Lengtat Tangerang Leather, Tonikitex,
Harlipan Batik, Sejahtera Metal and Vonicc Latyexindo.
Wahidin said the other 83 firms had yet to submit their
semester reports detailing the production and disposal of
industrial waste.
The mayor made the announcement during a ceremony to
commemorate World Environment Day and National Awakening Day at
the Cultural Center on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan.
Wahidin said evidence against the named companies came from
reports made by the Office of the State Minister of the
Environment's Rating Program since 2003.
Tangerang is home to some 800 industries located in the Batu
Ceper, Jatiuwung and Benda districts. Pollution of waterways and
land in the area is high.
After the ceremony, Wahidin took a boat ride along the
Cisadane River from the Cultural Center to Kebon Nanas area. On
the way he initiated the planting of 11,000 trees along the
riverbanks.
Wahidin urged the Tangerang Police to investigate and
prosecute firms where there was evidence they had polluted the
environment.
"Businessmen should not only benefit from industry, they have
a moral reponsibility to maintain the environment," he said.
Meanwhile, National Police forensic laboratory head Brig. Gen.
Dudon Setiaputra said he knew the result of a test sample from
the polluted waters around the Thousand Islands area but refused
to give further details.
"Ask Jakarta Police chief (Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanegara)
tomorrow," he said.
The test compared water samples from the polluted waters and
coral reefs around the islands with samples from a nearby oil rig
belonging to the China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC).
If the samples match, police are likely to conclude CNOOC is
responsible for the pollution, which has killed many sea
creatures and discouraged tourists from visiting the Pabelokan
resort island.
Dudon said the lab also tested samples taken from Jakarta Bay,
where thousands of fish were found dead in early May.
"The city police have already submitted evidence of the
pollution, including dried fish, dried crabs and sea water
samples," he said. "However, the evidence was not deemed
sufficient, so we have had to take coral reef samples from the
bay."
"We are still analyzing the samples and it will take some time
because we have to separate each chemical substance from the
samples," Dudon said.
The Jakarta Environmental Management Agency, which first
investigated the pollution, concluded a rapid proliferation of
red algae in the bay had killed the fish. Red algae consumes
large amounts of oxygen, causing fish to suffocate and die.
However, Dudon said the police team might come up with a
different conclusion. "The red algae theory has not been tested
in the laboratory," he said.
He could not say when the lab test results would be made
public.
I-box
Nine industrial firms allegedly polluting rivers
1. PT Argo Pantes
One of the area's largest garment producers gets a big red
spot against it in the rating program for dumping its poisonous
waste into the river without proper processing. Chemical sludge
was also found dumped outside the firm's waste treatment
facility.
2. PT Pelita Cengkareng
The firm is disposing its unprocessed liquid waste into the
Mookervart River. It has never held air tests on the thick smoke
pouring from its chimneys. Chemical sludge from the plant used to
cover several large areas.
3. PT Indometal
This metals firm dumps untreated waste into the Cisadane River
through waterways. Its waste treatment facility does not function
properly either.
4. PT Surya Renggo
This printing firm dumps toxic liquid waste into a nearby
ditch that later flows into the Mookervart River. The firm's
waste treatment facility only filters the waste but does not
process it.
5. PT Lengtat Tangerang Leather,
This firm dumps chemical waste from its leather processing
straight into the Cisadane River. Its poor waste treatment
facility means its waste fails to meet safe environmental
standards.
6. PT Tonikitex
Disposes waste from its towel dying process into a drain that
flows into the Ciracab River. The firm does not have a waste
treatment facility.
7. PT Harlipan Batik
This firm dumps its poisonous residue from batik processing
into a nearby ditch. It does not have a waste treatment facility
and its operating permit has expired.
8. PT Sejahtera Metal
This heavy industry dumps dangerous waste from its iron
layering process straight into the Cisadane River. It does not
have a waste treatment facility. It also fails to meet other
health, cleanliness and safety standards.
9. PT Vonicc Latyexindo
Dumps its toxic liquid waste onto land. The firm does not have
a waste treatment facility.
Source: Tangerang municipality administration