Naga environment group skeptical about DENR findings on Kepco coal dust

COAL dust pollution mitigating measures set up by Korean Power Electric Co. – Salcon Power Co. (Kepco) are just “Band-Aid solutions,” said Rodien Paca of the Naganian Awareness Against Pollution Association.

“We are worried that it (solutions) won’t last long and coal dust would continue to hassle in our community,” Paca said in an interview.

Residents near Kepco last complained of coal dust from the power plant early this month.

Chief pollution control officer Mar Tabuco said they discovered in a total suspended particulates (TSP) test early this month that there were 149 micrograms of coal dust per cubic millimeter of air in Kepco (ug/cu.mm) for 24 hours—below the standard of 230 ug/cu.mm for 24 hours.

The PM10 level that measures harmful particulates unseen by the eye that could penetrate the lungs was also within the standard 150 micrograms per cubic millimeter (ug/cu.mm).

DENR-EMB engineer Anabeth Roble said the result of their first test was 40 ug/cu.mm while the second result was 76 ug/cu.mm.

Roble clarified that there was no unloading of coal in the stockyard when they did the PM10 test.

“If they would begin the unloading of coal from their ships, then we will conduct another testings for the PM10.”

The DENR-7 is set to conduct a technical conference with Paca and Kepco representatives “to settle the issue of coal dust in their area and to hear out the concerns from both parties,” Tabuco said.

Paca said they will question the validity of the results during the conference since he saw coal dust penetrating houses during the TSP test.

Kepco-SPC spokesman Reinerio Lastimoso said he sees the conference as “a positive action from the DENR and welcome his (Paca) comments as these may be also be valuable to them.