Bogor councillors upset at PPLi<\/p>\n
Theresia Sufa, Bogor<\/p>\n
Nine days after fire engulfed a 1,350-square-meter warehouse
\ncontaining drums of toxic waste, the facility's owner has yet to
\nreport how much and exactly what kind of toxic waste was stored
\nin the warehouse, much to the chagrin of the Bogor regency
\ncouncil.<\/p>\n
Councillors from Commission C, which deals with environmental
\nissues, went on Friday to the Klapa Nunggal facility, the largest
\nhazardous waste processing site in Indonesia, to demand a full
\naccounting from the site's owner, PT Prasadha Pamunah Limbah
\nIndustri (PPLi), of what, if any, dangerous chemicals were
\nreleased into the environment.<\/p>\n
However, PPLi told the councillors no details could be
\nreleased pending the completion of an ongoing investigation into
\nthe fire. The investigation is being jointly conducted with the
\nOffice of the State Minister for the Environment, which owns a 5
\npercent share in PPLi.<\/p>\n
Sumarli, one of six councillors who visited the site, said the
\ncouncillors suspected the company was hiding something.<\/p>\n
\"We are disappointed with PPLi's shroud of secrecy,\" said
\nSumarli. \"We just want clarification of the environmental impact
\nof the fire.\"<\/p>\n
He said the council wanted a detailed explanation of what
\nchemicals were stored in the warehouse and in what quantities.<\/p>\n
Sumarli said that PPLi's refusal to provide the council with
\ndetails violated a presidential order requiring transparency in
\nthe handling of toxic waste.<\/p>\n
Just a few hours after the fire, which was contained after six
\nhours using a special foam to fight chemical fires, PPLi issued a
\nstatement saying no dangerous chemicals had been released into
\nthe environment as a result of the fire.<\/p>\n
The president director of PPLi, Edward Corcoran, who is also
\nthe founder of Modern Asia Environmental Holdings, which owns 95
\npercent of PPLi, said in a statement: \"The safety of our
\nemployees and the surrounding community is our main concern.\"<\/p>\n
The fire did not cause any injuries or disrupt the company's
\noperations.<\/p>\n
A source at the company said all 233 of PPLi's employees were
\nbeing interviewed to try and determine the cause of the fire. He
\nsaid he did not know when the interviews would be finished.<\/p>\n
PPLi, which began operations in 1994, processes about 60,000
\ntons of industrial waste from 800 companies across Indonesia,
\nincluding mining giant Newmont Minahasa in North Sulawesi and
\nFreeport in Papua. The company's facilities meet international
\nenvironmental standards.<\/p>\n
Modern Asia Environmental Holdings also owns hazardous waste
\nprocessing facilities in Thailand.<\/p>",
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