Molasses spill fouls river, hits Negros Occidental villages

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A containment pond fails due to extreme heat, releasing tons of diluted molasses into a nearby river

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A molasses containment pond ruptured in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, spilling tons of diluted molasses into the Binalbagan River and affecting four villages over a four-day period starting Saturday, April 19, authorities said.

The incident impacted the villages of Canmoros, Marina, San Juan, and Progreso. A fish kill was reported in Canmoros.

Lucia Salazar, supervising environment specialist at the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in nearby Kabankalan City, said Tuesday, April 22, that the Binalbagan-Isabela Sugar Company (BISCOM) admitted responsibility for the spill, which occurred from April 19 to 22.

Salazar explained that the pond for molasses of BISCOM became moist because of the extreme heat on Saturday, April 19, causing it to rupture.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had recorded a 42-degree Celsius heat index that day.

Fermentation of sugarcane molasses produces carbon dioxide gas, and extreme heat can cause pressure to build, according to a chemical engineer at a state university in Negros Occidental who declined to be named.

The incident prompted the local government and environment officials, along with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), to mobilize a response.

Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol sought assistance from national agencies to contain the spill. As of Tuesday, April 22, the PCG reported that the molasses had been fully contained.

Salazar said the BISCOM pond, which had a 4,980-ton capacity, failed due to the extreme heat, and an estimated 2,400 tons of diluted molasses reached the river.

Water samples have been collected and sent to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Iloilo City for analysis to determine the extent of environmental damage.

“Excessive amounts of molasses in water may cause loss of oxygen harmful to fish, and other marine resources,” EMB-Western Visayas Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement Division chief Vicente Losbanes told Rappler.

Officials said they were looking into BISCOM’s liability under the Clean Water Act.

“For now, we cannot determine yet what are the liabilities of BISCOM under the Clean Water Act. We need to wait for the results of the water test to come out first,” Losbanes said.

Mirasol said the local government would leave the investigation and enforcement of rules to the DENR and EMB, while it focuses on aiding residents impacted by the molasses spill. – Rappler.com