The Binalbagan River on Thursday, six days after the molasses spill.*Binalbagan LDRRMO photo
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) in Western Visayas has ordered the Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company (BISCOM) “to cease, desist or refrain from discharging molasses into its perimeter canal, which ultimately leads to the Binalbagan River”.
The interim cease and desist order (CDO) was issued Tuesday following the mill’s April 19 molasses spill in the Binalbagan River and served to the mill management on Wednesday, EMB-6 chief legal officer Wilma Lagance said.
EMB-6 Regional Director Ramar Mel Pascua, who signed the interim CDO, said it “shall be effective only for seven days unless confirmed by the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) or the Secretary. In such a case, the interim CDO shall become a regular CDO”.
“An interim CDO may be immediately issued where there is prima facie evidence that the emission of discharge of pollutants constitutes an immediate threat to life, public health, safety or welfare, or to animal or plant life, or greatly exceeds the allowable DENR standards,” he said, citing Section 8, Rule V of PAB Resolution 2021-04.
The EMB 6 conducted an investigation at BISCOM located in Brgy San Vicente, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, following a molasses spill from the mill’s Pond 2A/2B that has a total holding capacity of 6,000 tons.
Prior to the incident, it contained approximately 4,980 tons of molasses, and after the spill, only 2,400 tons remained, the CDO said.
According to the incident report submitted by BISCOM 2,570 tons were recovered, while the estimated loss was only 10 tons. However, these figures are still subject to verification, Pascua said in the CDO,
To contain the spill BISCOM implemented mitigating measures such as redirecting the overflowing molasses into the adjacent ash canal system and installing sandbags along the perimeter canal to prevent further flow into the community canal, he said.
However, despite these actions, molasses were still observed flowing into the storm drain, Pascua said.
At the time of the investigation, the sugar mill was operational and continuously producing molasses, which were stored in its molasses ponds, he added.
Due to the current limited capacity, BISCOM built a temporary pond with an unverified capacity to serve as an additional holding area for its molasses, Pascua said.
The EMB investigating team collected samples at the Binalbagan River and the BISCOM perimeter canal. During the sampling, the Binalbagan River was observed to have distinct foam and brownish coloration indicative of contamination, Pascua said
The EMB team noted the discoloration of the river’s water and an increase in organic load correlate with reduced dissolved oxygen concentration.
“Such reduction of dissolved oxygen levels in turn may potentially cause fish kill and mortality among other aquatic organisms”, Pascua said.
Ongoing discharge from the facility, together with the continued operations of the sugar mill, and its reliance on a temporary molasses pond with unverified storage capacity, “pose an imminent and substantial threat to the Binalbagan River”, he said
“These circumstances necessitate immediate action to prevent further environmental harm,” he said.
The Binalbagan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office on Thursday said the discoloration in the Binalbagan river has reduced,
From approximately 203 hectares of high category discoloration observed on Monday there are now 4 hectares in the low category, 5 hectares in the moderate category and 88 hectares in the high category, it said.
It also classified 30 hectares in the Guimaras Strait hit by the spill in the low category.
The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) said it is alarmed by the molasses spill, which affected four barangays.
“We urge BISCOM to urgently clean up the mess they have created along the Binalbagan River that has reportedly caused fish kills and have prevented the distribution of water to farmlands which would disproportionately impact the livelihood of marginal fisherfolks and small farmers,” it said.
This incident calls on the government, particularly regulatory authorities, to ensure strict compliance of big business on health, safety, and environmental standards and strengthen the monitoring systems in place to avoid environmental catastrophes like this, it added.
BISCOM, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said that they are committed to minimizing the environmental impact of the molasses spill.*