-urges them to continue taking precautions
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday visited the homes of Crane, West Coast Demerara residents affected by a mystery seepage through their floor tiles and formally advised them that the matter is some type of hydroxide.
The visit was to relate to the residents that the preliminary investigations as reported by this newspaper yesterday revealed that the substance was a hydroxide.
“So the substance as you have seen reported in the media is hydroxide, but the analysis takes time, and there is other stuff that needs to be taken to draw a conclusion. Everything that we are seeing making up the substance is below the world health standards” for exposure, an EPA official related.
The officials also urged the residents to continue taking precautions by staying away from the area where the seepage is occurring.
One of the affected residents, Basmatie Singh told Stabroek News yesterday that she is not satisfied with the findings and might be considering taking the services of a private agency to investigate the substance. She added that she will continue to spend the majority of her days outside of their home despite the preliminary findings.
“Well we already know we ain’t getting no real help. Everybody just coming and taking test, take this advice and go into this section,, or use a bucket of water and put it here, nothing. I doing my own precautions. I am opening the place, and putting a fan in the area, but we continuing, and taking much precautions as possible”, she said.
They also appealed to the EPA for the provision of face masks for themselves and the other affected residents. When asked about the skin irritation and other uncomfortable feelings, she related that she continues to experience them.
“I still getting the burning skin, the red eyes, the sore throat, and my face is still blazing”, she told this newspaper.
And though she now has to celebrate Diwali which is in a few days’ time with her loved ones she is still hoping for the EPA to return to continue the testing and to provide a means of getting rid of the substance. They are also appealing to persons who might’ve had a similar issue to assist them in resolving the problem.
“We just want to still know how this thing is happening. They’re saying hydroxide, but what causing it? How can we get rid of it? Somebody said they had a similar problem and they found a way to get rid of it. If they can tell us how to get rid of it we would be happy”.
It is now almost one month since the mysterious seepage was first reported to the EPA by two families who live a stone’s throw away from each other. There are at least two other persons who this newspaper understands are also having the problem. One is still monitoring it and the other prefers to go unnamed as fears of her land being taken away has engulfed her.
The EPA did say that the investigations into the seepage would be wrapped up within two weeks or less.
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited was also involved in the investigation. On Monday, its Public Relations Officer Kwesi Isles stated, “The EPA asked our environmental experts to investigate a seepage report, and we readily provided our expertise. Laboratory testing has confirmed that no detectable traces of hydrocarbons were found, and we have communicated these results to the EPA and the resident. It must be noted that our oil production occurs approximately 190 kilometers offshore, and there is no evidence that the incident is related to our offshore activity. Additionally, the Gas-to-Energy pipeline we’re developing is currently non-operational.”
