By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — The San Carlos Bioenergy, Inc. is acting on public demand to address the foul odor and pollution caused by the operation of its bioethanol plant in San Carlos City.
Through its environment management head and pollution control officer, Engr. Jaymar Relota, it came up with short- and long-term plans to prevent the said problems.
Among its short-term plans are cleaning up and rehabilitating its canals, barging its wastewater once a permit is secured, and increasing the amount of enzymes placed on its wastewater to mitigate the odor.
Its long-term solutions, on the other hand, are the construction of a wastewater recycling plant by December this year and a biogas plant by July 2015, the improvement of fertilization, and continuing to lease the 40-hectare pond of Cong. Julio Ledesma IV for use as polishing pond.
On May 20, representatives of the company met with members of a multipartite monitoring team and heard the latter’s concerns.
They agreed to increase the monitoring team’s membership from 10 to 13.
Originally composing the team were two representatives from the San Carlos City Mayor’s Office, barangay captains of Palampas and Punao, and a representative from each of the churches, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, San Carlos City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and the bioethanol company.
Additional members will include Councilor Rommel Debulgado, San Carlos City Council committee on environment chair; representatives from the City Health Board; and a representative from the academe, from either the Colegio de Sto. Tomas or the Colegio de Sta. Rita.
It was also agreed that the monitoring team will inspect the bioethanol plant every first Tuesday of the month and will meet every third Tuesday of the month.
Jojo Salvador, San Carlos Bioenergy, Inc. spokesperson, said coming up with these plans is the company’s way of showing its commitment to the environment and its concern to the stakeholders.
“Rest assured that San Carlos Bioenergy, Inc. intends to abide by its commitment to the residents of the city and deeply apologizes for the discomfort and inconvenience it may have caused,” Salvador said.
He said the company “is and will remain a good corporate citizen.” “We are in constant touch with the communities and actively involved in their concerns the best way we can.”
Samson Guillergan, EMB Region 6’s Pollution Control Division chief, earlier said the increase in the amount of enzymes placed on the plant’s wastewater reduced the foul odor./PN
