Update us on Kepco coal ash disposal – PB to EMB

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) is inviting officials of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) – 7  to one of its future sessions to update them on the compliance of Korean Electric Power Co. (Kepco) in Naga City with the legal requirements in the proper disposal of its coal ash.

The PB Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy who sponsored the resolution cited some past incidents reportedly brought by toxic contamination in the City of Naga as a result of the unabated release of coal ash.

“These reports indicate failure on the part of Kepco to properly dispose of its coal ash,” Sitoy said.

Sitoy’s research shows that unabated spreads of coal ash could cause “minimata disease” which will render the victims with neurological symptoms.

These include muscle weakness, ataxia, numbness in hands and feet, narrowing of the field vision, thereby damaging hearing and speech, and extreme cases, causing insanity, paralysis, coma and death.

Sitoy said that the appraisal of EMB will provide the PB with the needed information that will serve as basis for review of the contractual arrangement between the Provincial Government of Cebu and Kepco.

“The review will ensure the health and safety of the residents in City of Naga,” Sitoy added.

The Provincial Government last year entered into a memorandum of understanding with Kepco for the proper disposal of the coal ash from its coal-fired power plant.

This gave the Province of Cebu the exclusive rights to the coal ash that is the by-product of the 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Kepco in Tinaan, Naga City.

The landfill in the Capitol’s Balili property was the planned dumpsite for the coal ash for the Province to earn $1 per metric ton but was stopped by the court through a temporary environmental protection order (TEPO).

But the province is earning from the coal ash after the Apo Cement Corporation, also known as Cemex Philippines, accepted the fly and bed ashes produced by Kepco.

A memorandum of agreement was signed between the Province of Cebu and Cemex Philippines for the acceptance of all the projected output of Kepco estimated to be around 600 metric tons of fly ash and around 300 metric tons of bed ash or even more.

The Cemex is using the ash from the coal-fired power plant as additives to the cement making process.

The agreement provides that Cemex will pay the amount of P40 per metric ton on top of the 1 dollar per metric ton paid by Kepco as earlier agreed.

Kepco will also shoulder the delivery of ash to Cemex. —/MBG (FREEMAN)