IPOH, Jan 21 — The Perak Department of Environment (DoE) today said the powdery material dumped into a disused mining pond in Taman Chepor Indah is not hazardous to public health.

State director Norazizi Adinan said the substance is actually limestone dust and not scheduled waste material that falls under the Environment Quality Act.

"The material can get blown by wind. We have forwarded the matter to Ipoh City Council if the contractor had received green light from the local authority before dumping the waste at the pond,” he said.

Yesterday, Malay Mail reported villagers of Taman Chepor Indah here appealing to the local authorities to clamp down on the dumping of the powdery material which they suspect to be chemical waste, into a disused mining pond in their village since early last week.