Mayor orders temporary shutdown of bioethanol plant

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – The San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. (SCBI) in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental suspended its operation on February 19, 2021 on orders of Mayor Renato Gustilo due to alleged pollution issues.

Gustilo recounted in the notice several environmental violations allegedly committed by the company like the water discoloration along the coastal waters of So. Maloloy-on, Brgy. Punao due to its wastewater discharges.

Footages and reports from the City Planning and Development Coordinator’s Office, Bantay Katunggan of the Coastal Resource Management of the City Environment Management Office (CRM-CEMO), Eco-Zone Multi-Partite Monitoring Team (MMT), and City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office were also included as evidence of the alleged violations.

Gustilo said in the letter that although specific mitigating measures were undertaken by the SCBI, such initiatives were not enough to cushion the negative impact of the water pollution to the constituents of San Carlos City.

Gustilo advised the SCBI to temporarily cease its operation until they settle the recurring issues the soonest or the city government will recommend to the Environment Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) the issuance of a cease-and-desist order.

Engr. Arthur Batomalaque, Senior Environment Management Specialist of CEMO said that they have already referred the recurring incidents of water discoloration, foul smell and other environment issues committed to the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) of the DENR.

He said only the coastal waters are affected by the effluent from the plant based on the continuous monitoring of the MMT eco-zone locators, including testing at accredited labs.

The local ground water wells remain unsullied.

Batomalaque also added that SCBI representatives planned to talk to the city mayor on Monday.

Melvin Maglayon of CRM-CEMO and Conservation Fellow of the Fishforever program of the city said any industrial waste that reaches the sea is very harmful because pollutants can lower dissolved oxygen levels causing fish kill.

Maglayon added that harmful chemicals also affect the fragile coastal ecosystems like mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs and most importantly, “It decreases fish catch among fishermen near the area and affects tourism as well if pollutants reach tourist spots like Sipaway Island.”