Sludge Collected Left on Shoreline

DRUMS of sludge collected so far from the shores of Guimaras province are just being “dumped” along the shoreline, and may threaten the environment again with the next high tide.

Environmental group Greenpeace scored Petron Corp. and the government for the haphazard handling of oil slick and for not making sure fishermen collecting sludge are protected.

“The collected waste is just dumped along the shoreline. Based on our observation, the dumping was done haphazardly. The sludge may break out of the containers and return to the shores at the next high tide,” Greenpeace campaigner Von Hernandez said.

Hernandez made the assessment hours before President Macapagal-Arroyo was to visit Guimaras to personally see the damage to the environment caused by the oil spill.

Hernandez said the provincial government is still waiting for Petron to fulfill its promise to send a barge to collect the sludge.

Petron had commissioned the ill-fated tanker “Solar 1” to ferry two million liters of bunker oil from Bataan to Mindanao. The “Solar 1” sank off Guimaras last August 11.

Also, Hernandez said that up to now, fishermen hired by Petron to collect the sludge are still unprotected. He said they need boots and masks to protect their health.

“We have volunteers setting up booms to help clean the oil spill. But the fishermen deserve protection such as boots, gloves and masks,” he said.

However, a photograph taken of pres. Arroyo in Nueva Valencia showed locals wearing masks as they collected sludge.

Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Joseph Coyme said concerned citizens who want to donate chicken feathers or human hair to help stop the oil slick can send them to the Coast Guard in Western Visayas.

He said the Coast Guard will bring the collected hair and feathers to Iloilo City.


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Buhok at balahibo ng manok, to stop oil slick? Epektibo kaya ito?