The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will today begin a week-long review of Demerara Distillers Limited’s (DDL) entire operations at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, EPA head Dr Vincent Adams disclosed yesterday.
The review comes in the wake of residents’ complaints that they are being negatively affected by the operation of the beverage giant‘s biomethanation plant and environmental infringements by the company.
“We met on Friday and they submitted the documents asked for. They are cooperating and have said that they are committed to us working together. We will be undertaking a week-long [review] of the company’s entire operations and will be preparing a report,” Adams told Stabroek News in a telephone interview.
Residents of Great Diamond had filed a complaint with the EPA after years of their yards and roadways being continuously swamped by wastewater released from the biomethanation plant. As a result, the EPA two Saturdays ago, ordered that the DDL biomethanation plant cease operation.
Last week Monday, Adams and a team visited the plant and the community to gain a firsthand understanding of the situation. It was during this visit that the environmental infringements were observed.
“We did a walk down through the alleys and the neighbourhood; walked the entire facility but what we saw is very, very disturbing, as I indicated to the managers of DDL. I think it is just irresponsible, which I told them. I also went into the operations to verify that it has been shut down,” Adams said at the conclusion of his visit to the site.
Since then, DDL commenced remedial works in their compound and the affected section of the community. The company embarked on filling swampy areas around the gas tanks in their compound with white sand in a bid to mop up the wastewater.
During a visit to Great Diamond yesterday, residents informed this newspaper that DDL has begun remedial works in the community. However, they are hoping more will be done to bring permanent relief to their living conditions.
In seeking to bring relief to residents whose homes are affected, the company has distributed white sand which is spread in the yard to absorb the wastewater. Sand was also spread out along the alleyway. The small drain that runs through the affected area was also cleared but residents said the water is still backed up as the main drainage canal behind the village is filled with vegetation.
DDL, the residents said, has promised to clean the canal to allow for easy drainage.
“We are not refusing the little help we are receiving but I feel the company can do more. We have been suffering behind here for years and what the company has done here is not enough,” one resident said.
He pointed out too that while the company has taken steps to rectify the issue, last Tuesday when the drain was cleared, the excavator broke several pipes that were discharging wastewater from homes into the drains and the company has not stepped forward to repair the broken pipes although it was brought to their attention.
The resident added that the waste material removed from the drain is falling back into it, recreating the blockage and preventing the free flow of water. He said that when he spoke with the contractor executing the works, he was ignored.
The man added that it is not only their environment that is threatened but their health as well. He said the fumes from the plant continue to affect them despite the plant being non-operational for a week.
“We are still affected by the emissions from the plant. You are here and you can have a feel of it. The fumes burning your nose and chest. We don’t know how that is affecting us,” the resident, who asked not to be named, said. In the same breath, he called on the Ministry of Public Health to step in and carry out a medical checkup on residents.
“We need all the ministries to come in now and help us. Our children are having rashes, we are suffering from chest burns because of the fumes, we cannot plant because the water is killing the plant and if a plant grows and bear, we don’t know if we should eat from it,” the resident said.
Additionally, residents said that because of the stagnated water in DDL’s biomethanation plant compound and in the reserves behind the compound, they are affected by a mosquito infestation.
“They (DDL) need to take us serious. It is a matter that needs a permanent solution. We don’t have anywhere else to go and live. We have complained many times and this is the first time they are coming to help us but they are not doing enough,” the resident said.
Adams last Monday said that from his observation and judgement, the situation resulted from the “irresponsible behaviour” of DDL. The EPA chief said that in his view, the company has been operating the biomethanation plant below standard practices.
“It is not common practice for you to have those big storage without a secondary containment, just in case…the tank leaks and that is exactly what is happening. It is a standard practice all over the world for you to have a secondary containment over and above the volume of the tank so just in case it leaks, it is collected in that secondary containment. That doesn’t exist here though…” Adams observed.
DDL’s public relations representative, Alex Graham, had told Stabroek News last week Sunday that the issue was caused by an extremely high tide that caused flooding to residents’ properties, in the DDL compound and on the public road.
He said that when the water began to recede, it carried some of the treated wastewater onto the residents’ premises.
Graham said that the residents complained to the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), which subsequently called in the EPA. He said that DDL was not aware of the EPA’s involvement until they were called to a meeting with them two Saturdays ago. The meeting was between the EPA, the NDC and three residents.
Adams said that “it should be the company’s responsibility to proactively make sure that things are done safely in the interest of the community not just for their business interest.”
The EPA had requested DDL to furnish them with information on the operations of the company for review. According to the EPA head, the company has several applications at his agency requesting permission to operate. Before any permits are granted, Adams said the company will have to provide the necessary documentation for review by his officers.
