Landfill and fish farms too close for comfort

Fish farmers near Penang's Pulau Burung sanitary landfill are blaming the facility for emitting pollution that harms their cage-bred fish.

Fishermen are blaming the landfill after recent episodes of fish death in their nets and cages, and are accusing the landfill - managed by the Seberang Prai Municipal Council - of illegally discharging leachate into the sea.

Penang environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said fresh investigations will be conducted, but suspects overcrowding and low dissolved oxygen levels to be among the probable causes of fish deaths.