Alcohol plant assures: No toxic waste dumped in river

PAMPANGA. FEACO Pollution Control Officer Mercy Simon (standing) assures fisherfolk and officials of BFAR, EMB and local governments of Macabebe and Masantol that the alcohol fermentation firm did not discharge toxic waste into the Pampanga River. (Contributed photo)
PAMPANGA. FEACO Pollution Control Officer Mercy Simon (standing) assures fisherfolk and officials of BFAR, EMB and local governments of Macabebe and Masantol that the alcohol fermentation firm did not discharge toxic waste into the Pampanga River. (Contributed photo)

AN ALCOHOL fermentation plant based in Apalit town Thursday, January 17, refuted claims that it discharged chemical waste into the Pampanga River which allegedly poisoned the fish in the portions of Macabebe and Masantol towns.

This was after reports of another fish kill--described with the sudden floating of dead marine species on the blurry to reddish color of waters--in the two coastal towns which allegedly started late November last year and aired by affected fisherfolk recently.

As early as the first week of December 2018, residents of the coastal villages in Masantol and members of a local environmental group expressed alarm over the said suspected fish kill and were quick to point to the Far East Alcohol Corporation (Feaco) which allegedly caused the situation.

On Tuesday, the Pampanga Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office convened Feaco, fisherfolk and the municipal agriculture offices of Macabebe and Masantol, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Environmental Management Bureau to address the said concern.

During the said meeting, Feaco Pollution Control officer Mercy Simon assured concerned government agencies and affected fishermen that the alcohol plant did not discharge any toxic waste into the Pampanga River.

“In fact, we are now practicing zero waste in our operations since most of the raw materials we use in our production are converted into either fertilizer or fuel to make them reusable,” Simon said.

BFAR Provincial Fishery officer Lanie Lamyong said that waters in the Pampanga River tested negative for basic water chemical pollution in tests conducted by a Department of Environment and Natural Resources-accredited water quality testing firm.

Lamyong also relayed the research that red planktons or an increase in the presence of iron in the Pampanga River caused by its natural cycle may have triggered the water to turn blurry or red in color.

To further ensure Feaco’s commitment to fisherfolk, Simon said the management vowed to shoulder the expense of water quality testing of a third-party facility chosen by the fisherfolk.

“If that’s what it takes for them to believe that it was not us, that Feaco did not cause the alleged fish kill, then we will go the extra mile to do it,” Simon said.

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