DEPZ’s CETP failing to treat liquid waste, says DoE

The Department of Environment, in an order on Sunday, said that the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) of Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) has failed to treat liquid waste properly in line with the standards set by the government.

“You are making serious damage to the environment and ecosystem by releasing untreated liquid waste, which is a punishable offense and can be fined under the Environment Conservation Act 1995,” the DoE order said.

However, the DoE gave one month time to Flagship Dhaka CETP (BD) Limited, a Singapore-based company assigned to operate the CETP, to file an updated report maintaining all environmental standards set under the country’s laws.

Earlier on April 20, a DoE team inspected the CETP in person and collected samples from the EPZ area. These samples were later tested at DoE’s Dhaka laboratory.

Laboratory reports found that Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was at 315 milligram per litre and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) was at 2,470 milligram per litre in the treated water from the CETP, which exceeding the level permitted by The Environment Conservation Rules 1997.

Meanwhile, the DOE has ordered closure of four metalwork factories, one iron nail factory and a rubber factory in Shyampur area of Dhaka for causing air pollution in the area and for operating without a DoE clearance certificate.

The DOE, in separate orders, also imposed fines of various amount on these six factories.

The factories are Samiul Metal, Salam Metal, Mozammel Rubber Industries, Jisan Metal, AK Ware Nail, Taju Metal.