NegOcc sugar mill company ordered to stop molasses discharge into river
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BACOLOD CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) in Western Visayas has ordered a sugar mill company to stop discharging molasses into its perimeter canal.
The molasses ultimately leads to the Binalbagan River in Negros Occidental.
The interim cease and desist order (CDO) was served to the mill management on April 23, four days after the molasses spill of Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company in Binalbagan River.
“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,” said EMB Regional Director Ramar Mel Pascua.
The EMB conducted an investigation at Biscom located in Barangay San Vicente, Binalbagan town, Negros Occidental following a molasses spill from the mill’s Pond 2A/2B.
This site has a total holding capacity of 6,000 tons.
Prior to the incident, the mill’s pond contained approximately 4,980 tons of molasses, and after the spill, only 2,400 tons remained, the CDO said.
Biscom, in a statement issued on April 23, said it is committed to minimizing the environmental impact of the molasses spill.
To contain the spill, Biscom implemented mitigating measures such as redirecting the overflowing molasses into the adjacent ash canal system.
It also installed sandbags along the perimeter canal to prevent further flow into the community canal.
However, despite these actions, Pascua said molasses were still observed flowing into the storm drain.
At the time of the investigation, the sugar mill was operational and continuously producing molasses which were stored in its molasses ponds.
Due to the current limited capacity, Pascua said Biscom built a temporary pond with an unverified capacity to serve as an additional holding area for its molasses.
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 color 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.
He 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.”
“These circumstances necessitate immediate action to prevent further environmental harm,” Pascua said.
The Binalbagan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office on April 24 said the discoloration in the Binalbagan river has reduced.
The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment 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.
