More than 230 civil society groups and individuals across Asia and other parts of the world have asked Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to scrap the mega-incinerator project proposed in Broga.

In an open letter to him, the petitioners said it was unfortunate that the government favoured a "costly and deadly technological non-solution" for its waste problems instead of adopting proven, safe and sustainable discard management systems.

"By pushing for this incinerator, the government is guilty of imposing a mistake of western industrialisation on the people of Broga," said Von Hernandez, co-coordinator of Manila-based Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) in a joint statement issued yesterday.

"This is truly regrettable considering that the developing world has often looked up to Malaysia and the prime minister for leadership on environmental issues," he added.

The global petition is signed by 233 non-governmental organisations and citizens from 39 countries, including Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines - which is the only country in the world to ban incinerators.

Pay attention

Mahathir was asked "not to close his eyes to the many scientific studies linking incineration to ill-health and environmental destruction", and to pay attention to what the public are saying.

On the premier's criticism of the local opposition to the project, saying Malaysians should accept the modern technology as it is still a developing country, the petitioners asked whether as a medical doctor, Mahathir would want Malaysians to tolerate a "health-threatening and wasteful disposal method".

"(Are you saying) that the rakyat, at this stage of national development, do not deserve to enjoy the benefits of clean, healthy and sustainable alternatives to incineration?

"That the cancers and other diseases being suffered by communities hosting incinerators in developed countries are acceptable to you?" asked the petitioners.

The fluidised-bed gasification and ash-melting technology from Japan, purportedly the largest of its kind in Asia and possibly the world, is estimated to cost a whopping RM1.5 billion to design and build, and another RM200 million per year to operate.

Silent treatment

Petitioners also highlighted the disenchantment felt among the affected local residents due to the silent treatment by the government.

N Segeran - a vocal member of the Semenyih/Broga No Incinerator pro tem action committee that represents 25 housing areas of about 80,000 people - said they felt the government was pushing for an unsustainable and outmoded solution.

"More and more countries are moving away from this technology, but it is not economically justified. In fact, it will become an economic burden for residents besides posing a critical health risk leading to cancers, infertility, birth deformities and abnormal child development," he stressed.

He said local residents could not understand why the authorities were insistent on pushing ahead with the incinerator when other sustainable alternatives have not been seriously implemented.

"It is very frightening that the authorities are experimenting with the world's largest gasification plant in Malaysia, which is only in the pilot stage in Japan," he added.

The committee also has a website which contains expert opinions, scientific studies and experiences of similar efforts in other countries as part of their attempt to stop the Broga project.

The controversy-ridden project has drawn flak from local and international anti-incinerator advocates, including Japan which is the world's most incinerator-intensive country with record levels of dioxin readings.

Life-threatening

Tokyo-based Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner Junichi Sato said that putting so much money into incinerators to pollute the environment and destroy the resources is not simply the way to solve the waste problems.

"It only creates other grave life-threatening problems, for which Japanese incinerator companies don't have the solution yet," said Junichi, who is among more than100 Japanese citizens concerned over their country's role in providing financial and technological assistance to Malaysia.

The petitioners also urged Malaysia to comply with the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), signed in May last year, and implement alternative no-burn technologies to prevent the formation of new POPs especially dioxins and furans.

Both substances are toxic by-products of waste incineration. The convention is seeking to rid the global environment of 12 cancer-causing pollutants, four of which are linked to incinerators.

Another global petition is expected to be submitted to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on this matter.

The environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for the Broga incinerator project, currently under public review, has noted the objections and lack of transparency regarding project details.

It has also received preliminary negative feedback from international experts.