Oil conversion process starts in Guimaras spill

LUGA-IT, Misamis Oriental — A cement plant here has found a way to utilize oil spill sludge from the sinking of an oil tanker off the coast of Guimaras island last month.

Last Aug. 11, the MT Solar I carrying tons of bunker fuel sank in rough seas, darkening hundreds of kilometers of beach and polluting wide areas of the sea.

Guimaras residents helped in the cleanup of their coastline but the oil spill debris had to be taken to an area which eventually posed as another problem.

However, a cement firm here, Holcim, has offered to accept the debris which can be used as fuel for its kiln used in manufacturing cement.

Yesterday, two barges carrying 2,000 liters of the oil spill debris from Guimaras arrived at Holcim’s quay here.

Bobby Sajonia, Holcim plant manager, said the recovered oil will be sent to the kiln.

The Solar I, carrying 500,000 gallons of crude oil, sank during a storm off the central island of Guimaras, leading investigators to suspect that the ship’s captain erred in proceeding with the voyage.

Some 50,000 gallons of oil leaked from the ship, causing an oil slick that has damaged fragile marine ecosystems, including coral and mangroves.

Filipino environmental experts backed by colleagues from Japan, the United States and France, and environmental groups Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund are now engaged in a massive cleanup operation.

The Department of Justice is leading an investigation to determine the liability of the tanker’s owners.