• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) has affirmed the issuance of interim cease and desist order (CDO) by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-6 to Binalbagan-Isabela Sugar Company (BISCOM) in Negros Occidental in connection with the molasses spillage into the Binalbagan River last month.
The interim CDO was supposed to take effect seven days after it was issued by EMB- 6.
“So it is now a regular CDO, which means it remains in effect, EMB-6 Legal Division chief Wilma Lagance said.
According to the report of EMB-6, only 2,400 tons of molasses remained at the BISCOM pond 2A/288, which contained about 4,980 tons of molasses, after the rupture incident on April 19.
Following an internal assessment of the incident, BISCOM said its team identified the probable cause as Maillard reaction, which is a chemical process involving heat, amino acids, and reducing sugar in the molasses that led to increased pressure and subsequent overflowing of molasses from its storage tanks.
BISCOM, which apologized to residents of Canmoros, San Juan, Progreso, and Marina affected by the incident, said that they were able to recover about 2,570 tons of spilled molasses, while the estimated loss was only 10 tons.
While the CDO is still in effect, Lagance said BISCOM is not allowed to discharge any water or molasses into any water body.
BISCOM was also ordered to conduct a total cleanup of the perimeter canal and the affected areas along Binalbagan River.
After their commitment for a total cleanup of the affected areas ended on May 2, Lagance said they are now validating the compliance of the sugar milling company.
The PAB has already took over the jurisdiction of the BISCOM case and it will also determine the penalties, Lagance said. | GB
