The National Environmental Authority (NMA) has disputed media reports of more than 100,000 liters of oil had flowed into the Suriname River in Accaribo, approximately 9.3 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean.
In a statement, the NMA said that the incident was reported by the entrepreneur who owns the storage tank where the incident occurred and is disputing media reports that 100,000 liters of oil had flowed into the river.
A NMA employee observes oil spill
The NMA said that most of the oil had been contained and that the current estimate is that between 3,000 and 4,000 liters have leaked into the soil and the river.
The NMA said that the contamination is currently visible near the beach of the recreation resort operated by the entrepreneur and that to minimize the impact on nature, the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMA) immediately engaged a specialised company United Recycling and Rental to engage in the cleanup.
IN the statement, the NMA said the company is under strict supervision of the authorities and is carrying out actions in accordance with instructions to minimise the damage. It refers to Article 9 of the Environmental Framework Act, which establishes the general duty of care for the environment.
The law obligates everyone in Suriname to treat the living environment with care and to refrain from actions with adverse consequences. If environmentally harmful situations do occur, there is a strict obligation to report them to the NMA.
‘In this case, the company involved acted correctly by reporting the incident promptly and actively cooperating in the cleanup,’ the NMA added.
It said that companies working with hazardous substances are required to have a disaster plan and that such a plan must clearly outline the reporting procedure for environmental incidents.