The wastewater spill at the protected Tañon Strait in Negros Oriental has led the environment department to review the environmental compliance of the distillery company Universal Robina Corp. (URC) and even possible ‘proceedings’ soon.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Saturday said other permits of the URC will also undergo a review.
‘The DENR will conduct a comprehensive review of URC’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and other related permits,’ the DENR said in a statement. ‘As warranted by law, the department will initiate administrative, civil, and criminal proceedings against responsible parties.’
The ECC, granted by the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), is a document certifying that a proposed project by a party will not cause any significant negative impact to the environment.
It is usually secured by the proponent before the project begins and has certain conditions that must be followed, especially in ensuring that the project will not cause any trouble to the environment.
The URC Bais Distillery, in a statement to the Inquirer, assured that its new dike will be ‘reinforced and strengthened’ with rubber tires and boulders, to ensure that it can ‘withstand the relentless rains and earthquakes’ which caused the breach last Oct. 26.
It also said that its marine cleanup is ongoing and has been in close coordination with the DENR in deploying experts who will help in containing the spilled wastewater within the area.
‘Meanwhile, the company has been providing for the needs of the families affected by the spill and will continue to do so until the situation goes back to normal,’ it said.
The DENR reported that an estimated 255,000 cubic meters of molasses wastewater have been released into the Bais Bay in Negros Oriental due to the wastewater spill.
This could potentially affect 382.29 hectares of marine areas across 13 barangays within the protected seascape of the Tañon Strait, according to the DENR.
Although there is a possibility to review their ECC, the DENR met with representatives of URC ‘to ensure full compliance with government directives, ensure relief to affected community members via LGU (local government unit) channels, secure technical cooperation and align on immediate containment and rehabilitation actions.’
The company also agreed to expedite the repair of the breached portion of the dike, and is expected to be completed on Nov. 4, the agency added.
The EMB also conducted initial water quality assessments in the spill-affected areas, which showed low levels of dissolved oxygen and may cause fishkills, as well as ‘other adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystems.’
‘EMB also continues regular water quality monitoring and evaluation of URC’s compliance with ECC conditions and provisions of the Clean Water Act,’ the DENR said.
‘We assure the public that comprehensive monitoring and rehabilitation efforts are ongoing to protect marine biodiversity and support the communities affected by this incident,’ it also said.