EPA conducts clean up and assessment of chemical spill
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, December 11, 2019
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working assiduously to clean up the chemical spill in the vicinity of Laparkan Shipping Company on Lombard Street.
In an invited comment, EPA’s Senior Environmental Officer, Tashanna Redman stated that the incident was brought to the agency’s attention on Wednesday morning and a team was immediately deployed to assess the area.
According to her, “the aim is to get the cleanup underway as fast as possible to reduce further movement of the chemical.”
She explained that initial reports indicate that approximately 1,000 litres of the chemical Rheduce leaked from a container on the between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
The Rheduce is a dispersant and is used as a thinner and conditioner to modify the relationship between the thickness and percent of solids in drilling fluids
The EPA is currently conducting their assessment, analysis and impact of the spill and would provide updates.
While on the ground, clean up efforts were observed. The cleanup exercise and assessment are expected to be completed within 24 hours.
The risk assessment is being conducted by a team comprising the Environmental Protection Agency, the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Water Incorporated with support from the Civil Defence Commission.