Naga residents decry coal ash waste dumping

Residents of barangay Colon in Naga City said coal ash waste was unloaded  in their area three months  after the court issued an environmental protection order against dumping but this was denied by a power company.

Resident Vic Obando said they saw a mound of coal ash waste dumped by  Salcon Power Corp. last February when he and a group trekked the hills of Colon.

Aaron Pedrosa of the Freedom from Debt Coalition, who was part of the group,  said the mound of coal ash waste was dumped directly into the soil and not in a secured  ash pond facility as ordered by the court.

Judge Marilyn Ligura Yap of Mandaue Regional Trial Court in Branch 28 a issued a temporary protection order against indiscriminate  coal ash dumping last November 2010.

However, Reniero Lastimoso, Korean Electric Power Corp – SPC spokesman, said the coal ash was properly disposed in the SPC ash pond and not directly into the soil.

He said the two ash ponds of SPC continually accept coal ash waste from Kepco.

He also said they are putting in place additional mitigating measures to reduce coal ash dust pollution.

Lastimoso  said Kepco is is  closely coordinating with  SPC  in their load dispatch center so they could respond  to abrupt system  changes in loading or unloading coal ash.

They  also calibrated their air and fuel control instruments to minimize pollutants from their air stack.

The firm said it continues to monitor  ambient  air quality and will set up two permanent devices in barangays North Poblacion and Colon  to monitor the Total Suspended Particulates in the atmosphere.

Rodien Paca of the Naganian Awareness Against Pollution said they had closely watched the emissions of Kepco’s air stack and dust from their stockyard.

“There are no environmental hazards so far,” Paca said, adding that Kepco assured them they would put new technologies in place to contain pollution.

Kepco-SPC last week inaugurated the second 100 MW unit of their 200 MW coal-fired power plant in Naga City with President Benigno Aquino as the special guest.

Paca and other residents in barangay Colon  complained  last March after coal dust from Kepco  raw coal deliveries infiltrated their homes.

The Province and Naga City issued a cease and desist order against the power plant then lifted it when control measures were set up.

Obando said some residents in barangay Tinaan also complained that their houses near the Capitol-owned Balili property were flooded due to ongoing reclamation.

Four houses are situated close to the reclaimed area fronting the property.

Obando said water from the fishpond rises and mingles with runoff rainwater from the mountains.

The Balili property is being developed into a secured landfill to hold coal ash waste from Kepco.

Provincial Planning Officer Adolfo Quiroga said the Balili property has an efficient drainage system. He said the high level of water from the high tide and the incessant rain quickly subsided.