MOULMEIN, Mon State — The Mon State Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has warned that it will take action against antimony plants in the Moulmein Industrial Zone if they do not control their fumes.
“We have issued guidelines regarding environmental conservation. If a factory exceeds the emission standards, it has to firstly control, secondly reduce, and thirdly meet the emission standards. If they don’t follow these guidelines, we will take action according to procedures,” said Mon State natural resources and environmental conservation minister Dr. Min Kyi Win.
Recently, the state environmental conservation department measured air pollutants released by antimony plants in Moulmein Industrial Zone for three days.
There are six antimony plants in the industrial zone and the sulfur dioxide emission levels were high at two of the plants, said the department.
“We have instructed them to install air pollutant control equipment to reduce their sulfur dioxide emission,” said Dr. Min Kyi Win.
The department has also instructed other plants in low-lying areas to increase the height of their chimneys by 30 feet.
The department has also required the antimony plants to design environmental management plans and explain them to local residents.
Locals in the neighborhood of the industrial zone claimed that some plants do not properly store ore and coal, and when it rains, water polluted with antimony and coal particles flow into their farms.
Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
