Lucio Tan firm, Mitsubishi tie up for P100-million environment project

MANILA, Philippines - Absolut Chemicals Inc., the alcohol company of taipan Lucio C. Tan, has partnered up with Mitsubishi Corp. of Japan for a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project at at Absolut’s plant in Lian, Batangas.

Constructed in accordance with the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the Absolut plant has been cited as a model for environmental responsibility.

The project is the Philippines’ first and largest CDM undertaking in the private sector and in the manufacturing industry.

The CDM plant complements Absolut’s existing biological waste and water treatment facilities.

CDM is an arrangement under the Kyoto Protocol whereby industrialized countries with greenhouse gas reduction commitments are allowed to invest in projects that reduce emissions in developing nations as an alternative to more expensive emission reductions in their own countries.

Mitsubishi committed $2 million for Absolut’s CDM project with assistance from other contractors and environment groups. The project will help both Mitsubishi and Absolut reduce their emissions in compliance with United Nations’ standards.

The inauguration was attended by Tan, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officials led by Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio, Mitsubishi executives represented by Ichiro Keida, Japanese diplomats, and local government officials led by Lian Mayor Osita Vergara.

Ignacio called the project a model for environmental responsibility as it aims to halt the emission of polluting wastes, convert these wastes into energy and help put a stop to global warming.

Ignacio said the Absolut-Mitsubishi partnership to reduce emissions proves that the Philippines has a great potential for CDM projects.

Tan said he is glad that his company is contributing its share to save the Earth from environmental degradation caused by toxic waste emissions.

Tan revealed that even before the launching of the CDM project with Mitsubishi, Absolut

already had existing biological waste treatment facilities in its plant, as well as equipment that converts wastes into biogas, which is used instead of bunker fuel.

Among the plant’s existing waste treatment facilities are the sedimentation pond, anaerobic digester, mixing tank, post-gassing lagoon, facultative lagoons, and sequencing batch reactor, which treat effluents and reduce their organic load, and the pilot reed bed system, a treatment process which polishes and reduces the color of the treated effluent.

The biogas produced in these facilities has saved the company at least 70 percent of bunker fuel usage.

The CDM project will not only enhance the use of these facilities but also put up other apparatus for emission reductions.