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.