Roxas unit shuts down Negros bioethanol plant

MANILA, Philippines – The power unit of sugar miller Roxas Holdings Inc. (RHI) has suspended the operations of its bioethanol plant in Negros Occidental upon orders by the local government unit due to complaints of foul odor.

RHI disclosed yesterday La Carlota City Mayor Luis Jalandoni III issued a cease and desist order (CDO) against its ethanol unit Roxol Bioenergy Corp. (RBC) for 30 days due to alleged foul odor coming from its plant at Barangay Nagasi.

“The local government said the suspension of the CDO, which was served last Friday evening, may be lifted at any time as soon as RBC demonstrates a substantial mitigation of the complained odor,” RHI said.

RHI said RBC is committed to institute long-term solutions to address the issue.

Operations of the bioethanol plant had already been suspended prior to the issuance of the CDO.

RHI also said RBC immediately implemented the regular annual off-season repairs and maintenance of its plant, 15 days earlier than scheduled, to address the alleged foul odor.

This is not the first time operations of the RBC plant was suspended.

In March 2015, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has temporarily suspended the operations of RBC for polluting the Marayo River, a violation of the Clean Water Act.

Bioethanol is produced using molasses, a by-product of the sugar refining process.

RBC started operating its bioethanol plant in 2011, after the government announced the guidelines for the much-awaited pricing mechanism for ethanol.

The company supplies fuel ethanol requirements to several oil companies, as the Biofuels Act of 2006 mandates oil firms to blend 10 percent of ethanol with their gasoline.