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EPA now crafting policy to govern use of dispersants during oil spill
Six years later…
Kaieteur News – More than six years after the discovery of oil, recently appointed Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsram revealed in an interview with Kaieteur News that it is only now a policy to govern the use of dispersants during oil spills is being developed.
EPA Head, Kemraj Parsram
The regulator was keen to note that the use of dispersants—which are often times, toxic chemicals used to breakdown oily surface slick into small droplet— has to be an absolute last resort during the cleanup of an unmitigated oil spill.
Parsram said, “So dispersants is at the forefront of our (legal) review currently, and we are discussing it with the operators, and what we want to be clear about, is developing a policy on only when we will allow the use of dispersants. In the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), they (oil companies) provide what you call a net environmental benefit analysis, and there are various tiers for particular spills and what approaches and methods and technology would be used.”
Parsram added, “As is known the world over, only when all other approaches or methods can’t deal with the situation, then only will dispersants be used. We are trying to have that understanding, and ensure all other means must be exhausted before using that and of course, looking at the environmental impacts it may have.”
Apart from the policy for dispersants, the EPA is also conducting a review of its legislative framework and at the end of this process; amendments if needed would be made.
“From my experience, the Act is broad and all-encompassing and can therefore be applied to any situation and any sector. It is a very good Act in terms of what it intends to do for environmental management and on the mandate of the EPA. What may be required, is promulgation of specific regulations such as those for compliance and enforcement and clarity on certain matters. But our review internally, and help from elsewhere, will help us to determine the way forward on this where necessary,” the EPA Head stated.
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