Coverden resident Penelope Howell has written to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressing shock at the establishment of a waste treatment plant in the community.
The plant which will treat materials from the oil and gas industry among other waste was announced on Tuesday by the Department of Public Information (DPI).
In the letter yesterday to the EPA she said that she unaware of any sort of involvement by Coverden or the East Bank of Demerara in the approval process for the project.
The name of the plant is Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated and its Chief Executive Officer is Mahendra Jettoo.
“I personally emailed, called and visited the Jettoo’s offices located at Coverden, to find out about the developments that we were hearing about through `urban media’ – several times, unsuccessfully”, she wrote.
She asked a series of questions:
Have all of the relevant local, national, regional and international stakeholders been involved in the sustainable planning and development of this project ?
Where are the environmental and social impact studies for this project located?
Were residents of the area engaged prior to the press announcement?
What sort of public liability insurance willl be secured, and when?
What are the ecological, environmental, social and medical impacts of such a project on our communities?
How many of the 40 jobs shall Coverden residents expect to have access to?
What sort of “waste” shall be treated?
Where shall the “waste” be sourced from?
A release on Tuesday from DPI said that the agreement was initially signed by the Senior Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh. The agreement was officially handed over by Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer, Dr Peter Ramsaroop to Jettoo.
Following the inking of the agreement, Dr Ramsaroop said that the waste treatment plant will create employment for over 40 persons.
Dr Ramsaroop noted that the investment aligns with the government’s objective of achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal six of the United Nations is to achieve clean water and sanitation by 2030, DPI said.
“This investment is more than just a facility; it is a statement of our commitment to sustainable development and our unwavering belief in Guyana’s potential to lead in green technologies. We are setting the stage for Guyana to not only meet but exceed global environmental standards, positioning our country as a leader in eco-friendly industrial solutions,” Ramsaroop stated.
The treatment plant will see non-incinerator technology used to process waste generated by the oil and gas companies and other industries. This will then be converted into reusable oil.
Additionally, as part of that process, one of the byproducts would be ‘slag’, which is safe to be disposed of in landfill sites.
This slag, the release said, will be used for block-making, to support the rapid pace of the construction sector.
Jettoo said that not only will waste be treated but rather transformed into usable products.
