The Environmental Protec-tion Agency (EPA) says it has been following up a recent pollution complaint against Guyana Stockfeeds Inc. at Farm, East Bank Demerara and would assess what action the company has taken to abate the alleged nuisance as well as determine any subsequent action the agency may take under the Environmental Protection Act.
The EPA in a release said that it has concerns about the manner in which expired feed was being disposed of since it was causing pollution in the immediate environs and on persons there.
Additionally, according to the label of the contents of the feed, the EPA observed that the chemical elements, selenium, copper and zinc, are constituents of the premix and are deemed hazardous by the agency according to Schedule 1 of the Environ-mental Protection (Hazardous Waste Management) Regula-tion 2000. According to the EPA, the company has allegedly “committed an offence punishable under the Act and is liable to penalties and to compensate those affected.”
The EPA said it would have conducted a follow-up inspection yesterday to ascertain what measures had been taken by the company regarding the alleged pollution and what subsequent actions would be taken by the agency.
On January 31 this year the EPA received a complaint via telephone from the Providence Police Station on the East Bank regarding the burning of some discarded chemical stock at the company which was discharging pungent fumes into the atmosphere that was affecting residents in the area.
According to reports, the fumes had also disrupted classes at the nearby Covent Garden primary and secondary schools.
In response the EPA conducted an on site investigation on January 31 at 1 pm to verify the validity of the complaint. Follow-up visits were also made to the company’s premises by inspectors from the Pesticide and Toxic Chemical Control Board (P&TCB) and the Environ-mental Health Officer of the Little Diamond/Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).
According to the release, on one of the visits officers were taken to the Oil Mill site where the actual burning took place and they observed that a pungent smell was emanating from a pile.
Subsequently, the release noted, officers spoke with the company’s production manager Mohammed Pasha who said that the products were expired vitamins used to fortify chicken feed.
Officers also visited the Covent Garden primary and secondary schools and spoke to the head teachers of these schools.
