Silent threat: E-waste impact on marine life. How harmful substances also pose health risks to Sabahans

Daily Express

05-06-2025

Published on: Sunday, June 01, 2025
Published on: Sun, Jun 01, 2025
By: Audrey J Ansibin Text Size: Op Hazard: Piles of unprocessed discarded electric and electronic devices at an illegal processing factory the size of 16 football fields in Segamat. (Pic: Bernama) FINAL of a two-part series: Environmental experts say the world is producing more electronic waste (e-waste) materials than we can handle, resulting in 'mismanagement and improper disposal of countless electronic devices'. Greentec, a company that specialises in IT lifecycle services based in Canada, says consumerism generates approximately 50 million tonnes of e-waste annually, and this number is projected to exceed 74 million tonnes by 2030.
Advertisement 'When improperly handled or disposed of, e-waste can cause significant environmental damage,' the company says. 'Discarded electronics are not just an environmental issue, but they also pose significant risks to human health.' A local professor from the Borneo Marine Research Institute (UMS) tells Daily Express that 'heavy metal pollution from landfill leachate presents a growing threat to Sabah's marine ecosystems and public health'. At this rate, the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) Solid Waste Management Department urges members of the public to repair and reuse such devices to curb the rising e-waste woe in Malaysia, particularly in Sabah. Its Director Leong Tze Fui said, apparently, Sabah doesn't have a processing plant yet. 'Everything (e-waste) will be sent over to peninsula Malaysia for further treatment,' he said. He encourages the public to drop their household e-waste at Pusat Lestari Kota Kinabalu behind the Dewan Masyakarat in the city. He clarifies that this is a storage centre and not a recycling site. 'When the storage is full, we will call the DoE (Department of Environment) and they will then inform their contractor to collect all the accumulated e-waste devices,' Leong said. 'For example, the DoE personnel will then go to the disposal factory site and they will segregate the hazardous and non-hazardous components,' he said. 'In the future, we plan to have other collection sites in the outskirts. Several areas have been identified in Menggatal, Telipok and Lido, to name a few, to complement the existing one in Kota Kinabalu area at the moment. In the future we will have multiple collection sites. 'We work with NGOs like Sabah Computer Society in annual events to collect used laptops / computers at Dewan Serbaguna Damai,' he said, adding that they carry out such event twice a year. 'Don't throw e-waste materials into the dustbins because they contain harmful chemicals that will not only affect the environment but also marine life, which in turn could affect humans that consume these seafood.' When asked about the Ops Hazard carried out by the government, recently, he opined that it was due to household e-waste that had accumulated tremendously. 'The public trend to replace instead of repair is the reason why e-waste increased at an alarming rate. 'DoE is strict when it comes to the treatment regulations on such products. Non-licensed factories and centres will be taken to task for non-compliance. 'These illegal sites don't have proper facilities to treat these discarded materials, which can lead to harmful effects on the environment.' On the DBKK side, Leong said they would usually handle e-waste materials regulated under EQA 1974 Scheduled Waste 103 and 110. These include 'waste of batteries containing cadmium and nickel or mercury or lithium' and 'waste from electrical and electronic assemblies containing components such as accumulators, mercury-switches, glass from biphenyl-capacitors, or contaminated with cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel, chromium, copper, lithium, silver, manganese or polychlorinated biphenyl.' Heavy Metal Contamination in Sabah's Marine Ecosystem and Landfill Leachate Meanwhile, Assoc Prof Dr Abentin Estim from Universiti Malaysia Sabah's Borneo Marine Research Institute, said Sabah is known for its rich marine biodiversity and significant fishing industry. 'However, rapid urbanisation and inadequate solid waste management have led to environmental degradation. One major concern is the contamination of aquatic ecosystems by heavy metals originating from landfill leachate. 'These contaminants threaten marine life and human health through the consumption of polluted seafood. The presence of harmful materials in Sabah's landfills can indeed have an impact on the metal composition in the seafood and marine ecosystem. He said research has shown that leachates from landfills can contaminate nearby water bodies, including rivers, estuaries, and coastal areas. These leachates often contain heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). 'Contaminated fish and shellfish samples from coastal areas near landfills have been found to contain Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn. Some potential ways in which these harmful materials can affect the metal composition in Sabah's seafood and marine ecosystem: Bioaccumulation: Heavy metals can accumulate in the tissues of marine organisms, such as fish, shellfish, and other invertebrates. This process is known as bioaccumulation, where the concentration of these metals increases with each trophic level.
Biomagnification: As these contaminated organisms are consumed by larger predators, the heavy metal concentrations can increase even further through biomagnification. This means that filter feeders such as shellfish, mussels and crabs and also top fish predators like groupers and snappers may have higher levels of these contaminants in their tissues.
Altered food web dynamics: The presence of toxic metals can disrupt the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem. For example, changes in species composition and abundance can occur, affecting the overall health and resilience of the ecosystem. Impact on Marine Ecosystems and Seafood 'Heavy metals in marine environments bioaccumulate in organisms and biomagnify up the food chain. Filter feeders such as mussels and oysters, and benthic feeders like groupers and snappers, are particularly vulnerable. Studies have documented elevated metal levels in Sabah's marine biota,' Dr Abentin said. He added that some of the heavy metal concentrations exceeded the permissible level by Food Regulation Malaysia (1985) and the Food and Agriculture Organization in Crassostrea gigas (Tiram), which indicates potential health risks associated with the consumption of this species (Budin et al., 2013). 'Harsono et al. 2017 stated that marsh clams accumulated higher Pb and Zn, whereas green mussels tend to contain higher concentrations of Cr, Cu and Ni from the Marudu Bay of Sabah. Moi (2010) added that all heavy metal levels except manganese in pelagic fish were not significantly different from demersal fish; the total arsenic levels in all fish and fishery product samples and the cadmium levels in dried cuttlefish and scallop were found to exceed the maximum permitted limits by Malaysian Food Regulations 1985 (Moi, 2010). Rosli et al. (2023) stated that consuming fish from the west coast waters of Sabah is deemed safe and has no significant radiological impact on human health. He recommends the establishment of a long-term monitoring system for radionuclide bioaccumulation in fish to gather valuable information for assessing the potential health risks associated with radionuclides in Malaysia, particularly in Sabah. Ling et al. 2023 added that heavy metal content in marine sediments along the northwest coasts of Sabah is within the permissible range. 'However, the higher heavy metal content of Ni and Cr suggests that continual observation and long-term monitoring are significant for the study areas.' Heavy metals can enter the marine food chain through various pathways: Direct ingestion: Fish and other marine organisms may ingest leachates or contaminated sediments.
Food web transfer: Contaminated organisms are consumed by larger predators, transferring the toxins up the food chain.
Water column deposition: Leachates can settle on the seafloor, where they can be ingested by filter feeders like shellfish. Human Health Risks and Food Safety 'Seafood is a dietary staple in Sabah. Consuming contaminated seafood can pose health risks to humans. Contaminated seafood may not meet food safety standards, posing a risk to human health. 'Chronic exposure to metals through seafood can cause neurological, renal, and cardiovascular issues. 'Vulnerable populations include pregnant women and children, particularly susceptible to methylmercury toxicity. Exposure to toxic metals from consuming fish and shellfish with high levels can lead to exposure to these toxic metals' Current Mitigation and Challenges 'Sabah faces significant challenges in managing its landfill sites. Environmental regulations exist, but enforcement is inconsistent. Community awareness regarding the implications of landfill leachate is also limited. To mitigate these effects, it is essential to address the issue of landfill management and pollution control. This can be achieved through: Proper waste disposal: Implementing effective solid waste management practices to minimize leachate generation.
Landfill rehabilitation: Rehabilitating existing landfills to reduce leachate contamination.
Monitoring and enforcement: Regular monitoring of water quality and enforcing regulations to prevent pollution. By addressing these concerns, we can help protect Sabah's seafood industry and maintain the health of its marine ecosystem. Recommendations To address the issue of landfill leachates in Sabah's marine ecosystem: Implement effective waste management practices: Properly dispose of hazardous waste and minimize leachate generation. Development of sanitary landfills with leachate treatment systems.
Monitor water quality: Regularly monitor water quality parameters to detect potential contamination. Routine monitoring of heavy metal concentrations in seafood and marine waters.
Enforce regulations: Enforce laws and regulations related to landfill operation, waste disposal, and water pollution control. Implementation and enforcement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
Public awareness campaigns: Educate the public about the risks associated with contaminated seafood and promote safe consumption practices. Public education campaigns on the dangers of seafood contamination
Support sustainable fishing practices: Promote catch-and-release fishing and encourage fishermen to adopt eco-friendly practices.
Research and monitoring: Continuously monitor water quality, leachate generation, and contaminant levels in marine organisms. Heavy metal pollution from landfill leachate presents a growing threat to Sabah's marine ecosystems and public health. Urgent action is required to enhance waste management, enforce environmental rules and policies, and safeguard seafood quality for the population. Furthermore, ongoing observation and long-term monitoring are critical in gathering vital information for assessing the potential health concerns connected with heavy metals in Malaysia, particularly in Sabah.