The government should outline in detail an emergency evacuation plan for residents living within a 5km radius of the proposed incinerator in Broga, Selangor.

The Semenyih/Broga No Incinerator pro tem committee suggested this under the public-health risk assessment component of the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) study for the project.

The committee submitted the eight-page document to the Department of Environment (DOE) o­n Saturday as part of public feedback o­n the draft terms of reference (TOR) for the DEIA.

The proposed 1,500-tonne gasification plant, touted as the world's largest to use Japan's latest zero-emission technology, has drawn community objections on various grounds.

Health impact

Pro tem chairperson Halil Hussain (photo) said the report should recommend pre-operational medical examination, and the monitoring of the biological and health effects o­n residents.

In addition, "we want a probe into diseases caused by the inhalation of, or contact with, emissions", he said when contacted today.

The group has proposed documentation of the health impact o­n high-risk population groups including pregnant women, infants, asthma patients and the aged.

On the socio-economic aspect of the study, Halil said the government should look into the impact o­n fertility, demographic growth, social mobility, and the norms and values of community life such as stress resulting from the incinerator project.

The committee also wants the "pre-perceived statement of needs" in the draft TOR to be amended to ensure that detailed alternatives for municipal waste management are included "with comparative studies o­n current and future waste generation".

Halil said both the TOR and DEIA should be amended to include "a comparison of incinerator with the overall waste management plan including the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), composting, refuse-derived fuel and zero-waste methods".

The committee asked for the source and cost of funding to be included in the TOR, with comparative studies covering the costs in areas such as social, opportunities, operational, refinancing, return o­n investment and the plant's life-cycle.

It also wants vendor accountability and assessment with detailed proven record, experience, historical compliance of the same technology and list of reference.

"Public meetings should be arranged for interaction between the vendor and the residents which allows for transparency, accountability and responsibility towards the public and the environment," Halil added.

On the technical front, the committee listed a series of detailed tests to be done o­n air emissions, slag and other solid residues, wastewater discharge and its impact, ecological impacts, and risk and hazards from fugitive emissions.

It also wanted primary data o­n land use to cover food crops, animal husbandry, subsistence farming/gardening, water resources and use, and population centres including schools and hospitals.

Integrated approach

The committee also proposed an integrated approach as an incentive for people to reduce waste in each household, such as imposing a fee for garbage disposal based o­n the weight of trash, making waste separation mandatory by 2005 and having colour-coded bags for sorting trash.

It suggested that the government seriously considers encouraging the use and installation of food-grinders in kitchen sinks.

"Since the appliance is fully imported, the government could consider lifting import duties or subsidising the installation fee," said Halil.

"It should encourage local manufacturers by offering special incentives to produce food-grinders under licence."

He said plastic bags should also be phased out, allowing o­nly bio-degradable o­nes, for which shops and supermarkets can charge a token sum to encourage people to bring their own bags.

All supermarkets should also have recycling bins to encourage the habit among their customers, he added.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry has been campaigning aggressively to promote recycling over the last few years.