The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered bauxite mining company Bosai Minerals to clean up waste oil that was “inadvertently” released into the surrounding waterways including the Demerara River earlier this week and said the company will be fined.
Region Ten chairman Renis Morian told Stabroek News late yesterday afternoon that the clean-up had not yet begun. “Bosai need to get their act together,” he said while relating that the regional administration will be keeping a keen eye on the clean-up efforts and actions by the EPA as similar incidents had occurred in the past and nothing much was done.
“When we saw the spill (on the Demerara River), it was about six miles long,” he said. However, he noted that the oil slick would move up and down with the tides. However, oil remains in the drainage systems in Linden, according to Morian. He could not say how many persons were affected by the spill but said that he would meet a group of farmers today.
In a statement yesterday, the EPA said that it received a report through the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) on Tuesday regarding a report of the release of used oil into surrounding drainage waterways and the Demerara River by Bosai.
It said that an investigation was done on Wednesday in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council, Region 10. The investigation sought to determine the source or cause of the incident and to identify immediate remediation requirements. Officials of Bosai, including members of the company’s Environmental Department, Health and Safety Department, and Supervisor of the Power Generation Plant, were present during the investigation.
“The EPA’s investigation revealed that used oil flowed from a concrete drainage network in the compound of the Bosai Mineral Group (Guyana) Inc. leading to a nearby trench and ultimately into the Demerara River,” the EPA said.
It noted that the area containing the used oil tank has an oil-water separator in place to capture spilt oil. “However, according to an official from Bosai, used oil was inadvertently released into the surface drain instead of the oil-water separator,” the statement said.
According to the EPA, the Environmental Department of Bosai stated they were unaware that used oil was being released from their facility and only became aware of the matter on Wednesday at approximately 11am when it was brought to their attention.
“The EPA has instructed Bosai to immediately commence clean-up and restoration activities. Meanwhile, the EPA continues with its investigation and monitoring of the facility and clean-up exercise,” the statement said. It added that the EPA is determining the penalties to be issued against the company.
Meantime, Morian said that he will also be seeking legal advice on what to do, particularly given the history of spills by the company and the lack of action. He said that the EPA needs to have a more robust response and needs to be more on the ground. In the past, Morian said, the EPA operated like a “toothless poodle” and he will be monitoring their performance on this spill.
