Coast Guard investigates Batangas chemical spill

BATANGAS CITY — The Coast Guard starts determining today if the local company that owned the corrosive chemicals that spilled into the Batangas Bay off Bauan town can be held liable.

Commander Avelino Fortuna of the Batangas Coast Guard directed the Marine Environment Protection Unit to determine if the Mabuhay Vinyl Inc. (MVI) violated the Clean Water Act after 400 liters of caustic soda spilled while the substance was being unloaded from a chemical tanker off Bauan last Saturday.

Caustic soda, a highly corrosive substance capable of destroying animal or any organic tissue, is used mostly as a strong chemical base in the manufacture of vinyl tiles, pulp and paper, textiles, and detergents.

The foreign tanker Ginga Falcon was unloading its chemical cargo to a tanker owned by Mabuhay Vinyl Inc. when the machine-operated hose malfunctioned, spilling the chemicals into the sea.

The chemical spill initially affected a radius of about 50 meters near the port, but it threatened the nearby coastal barangay of San Miguel in Bauan.  

"If there was negligence in their chemical handling procedure, the company could face a minimum penalty of P10,000 or a maximum penalty of as much as P1 million and revocation of its business permits," Fortuna said.

The Coast Guard, however, assured the residents that the spill has been contained.

"It was fortunate that we were able to contain the chemical spill at once, that is why we will have this investigation to come up with a solution that will prevent a recurrence of the incident," Fortuna told The STAR.

Fortuna said the spill occurred during the delivery of some 4,000 metric tons of caustic soda to a chemical tanker docked at the Batangas Bay Terminal Inc.

Investigators led by PO2 Eliseo Dolor said a Manila Vinyl employee made the mistake of attaching the hose to a smaller cargo hold of the tanker, causing the chemicals to overflow.

Dolor said the spill was only discovered after a security guard of a nearby company saw the chemicals overflowing and immediately reported it to the Coast Guard.

Dr. Victor Bejer, Bauan municipal health officer, said they will make their own assessment of the possible health risks of the spilled chemicals to the residents.

Health officials, however, warned residents to avoid swimming in the affected portion of Batangas Bay to avoid contracting skin ailments.