Chemical firms urged to adopt green corporate culture
KUALA LUMPUR: Proper disposal of chemical waste or residual material is the way forward for players in the chemical industry to ensure a safer workplace and the surrounding environment.
The “green corporate culture” must be adopted and prioritised to prevent a repeat of the Sungai Kim Kim incident in Johor recently, said National Occupational Safety and Health Institute chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
He said managing hazardous waste might be costly for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), therefore, multinational and big chemical companies should lead the way and lend support to achieve a higher level of health, safety and environment performance through awareness initiatives.
He said the mentor-mentee approach was relevant since more than 90 per cent of players in the local chemical industry were SMEs.
“The industry continues to be a major contributor to manufactured goods exports, at 6.9 per cent last year. Although its contribution remained significant, the task of managing, handling and disposing of chemicals was equally important in ensuring a safer and cleaner environment.
“Chemical companies must self-regulate and play a role in ensuring a safer workplace and surroundings,” said Lee at the Chemical Industry Dinner 2019, organised by the Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia (CICM) here on Friday.
He said the Sungai Kim Kim incident, which affected thousands of people, was proof that if the industry did not make peace with the environment, destruction would be greater in the future.
“With the advent of the ‘green corporate culture’, there is a need for businesses to be more conscious about environmental issues.”
Lauding CICM’s efforts in making the chemical industry safer, Lee said such initiatives augured well for the country’s image.
“A good safety track record will contribute to the productivity of businesses, making the chemical industry more responsible and sustainable.”
Lee said Malaysia had adopted the international Responsible Care initiative for the chemical industry since 1994.
“Responsible Care is an ethic and commitment by the chemical industry to build confidence and trust in the global chemical industry.”
Present at the 14th CICM annual awards and dinner was CICM chairman Datuk Dr Abd Hapiz Abdullah, who, jointly with Lee, presented the CICM Responsible Care Award 2017/2018 to the grand award winner — IOI Pan-Century Olechemicals Sdn Bhd — for its commitment and best practices in the industry.