By Siti Rohaizah Zainal
KLANG, Sept 20 — Top Glove Sdn Bhd has become the first industrial firm in Selangor to be awarded the Zero Discharge Policy (ZDP) licence, which was gazetted by the state government on June 20.
State executive councillor for public health and the environment Jamaliah Jamaluddin said Top Glove’s proactive efforts in managing and regulating water resources should serve as a model for all industry players in order to safeguard the environment.
“Selangor is the first state to introduce this policy aimed at preventing river and water source pollution, reducing the load through quantity and quality control,” she said.
Jamaliah was speaking after the handover of the licence to Top Glove managing director Lim Cheong Guan at its water treatment plant pump station in Meru today.
She added that the policy has also drawn interest from other states, including Penang, which is scheduled to make an official visit next week to gather more information about the initiative.
“Selangor views this initiative as a positive step towards environmental protection, making it an investment for the future,” Jamaliah said.
Meanwhile, Lim said Top Glove has allocated RM2.4 million to build a waste treatment plant as part of its efforts to safeguard water resources and minimise waste.
“We have implemented measures to protect water resources, allowing us to reuse four million cubic litres annually. Next year, we aim to increase that by 50 per cent, reaching six million cubic litres,” he said.
Previously, the state government, via the Selangor Water Management Authority, gazetted the ZDP to address the issue of sludge and the deterioration of water quality in Selangor’s waters.
The new regulation emphasises the control of water discharge back into rivers, in accordance with standard operating procedures.