Mining firms urged to stop STD disposal<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
Mining companies across the Asia-Pacific region are continuing to
\nuse the submarine tailing deposit mining system, which will cost
\ncountries both environmentally and socioeconomically, a noted
\nenvironmentalist has said.<\/p>\n
Former environment minister Emil Salim said Indonesia was
\nunable to deal with the environmental hazards posed by the
\nsubmarine tailing deposit mining system.<\/p>\n
Emil was speaking at a five-day meeting of the World Bank
\nExtractive Industries Review (EIR) in Nusa Dua, Bali.<\/p>\n
The meeting aims to establish policy guidelines to make the
\nmining industry more environmentally friendly.<\/p>\n
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were invited, but at
\nleast 12 NGOs walked out of the meeting on Sunday after the EIR
\nreleased a draft of the guidelines ahead of the meeting's
\nconclusion. NGOs said the draft favored mining companies at the
\nexpense of the environment and indigenous people.<\/p>\n
Emil blasted mining companies' continued use of the submarine
\ntailing disposal system.<\/p>\n
\"Most companies or parties operating in Indonesia's mining
\nindustry use this system, which is clearly degrading the marine
\nand coastal environment,\" he told EIR participants.<\/p>\n
The system is the most preferred waste disposal procedure in
\nregions with large-scale mining operations and rich marine
\nbiodiversity, crucial for global marine conservation, such as in
\nSoutheast Asia and South Pacific.<\/p>\n
Emil said that the disposal system was seriously damaging
\nIndonesia's tropical marine life, marine resources and its
\necosystem.<\/p>\n
\"The most important problem is how to convince our government
\nto strictly regulate the system and to enforce the law because
\nalmost two-thirds of Indonesia consists of water and oceans,\"
\nEmil said.<\/p>\n
Submarine tailing disposal is one of the main subjects being
\ndiscussed at the World Bank-initiated meeting, which began on
\nSaturday and closes on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The five-day meeting has brought together stakeholders from
\ncivil society, governments, the industries as well as the World
\nBank Group to discuss oil, gas and mining issues. The framework
\nfor this discussion is the globally agreed consensus to pave the
\nway for sustainable development in the 21st century.<\/p>\n
The World Bank initiated the Extractive Industries Review and
\nconsultative process to obtain and understand the views of
\nstakeholders about the best future role of the World Bank Group
\nin the extractive industries if it is to promote sustainable
\ndevelopment and poverty alleviation.<\/p>\n
Currently, the World Bank Group is supporting worldwide
\ngovernments, especially developing ones, and industries to
\ndevelop extractive industry sectors. On the other hand, a group
\nof international organizations are calling on the World Bank
\nGroup to divest itself from extractive industry projects, based
\non the observation that the exploitation of oil, gas and mining
\nin developing countries is not compatible to the Group's mission
\nto eradicate poverty.<\/p>\n
\"Exploitation of oil, gas and mining resources under various
\nconditions can result in a multitude of social problems and
\nserious environmental degradation,\" the organizations said in a
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, they said mining companies, especially
\nthose operating in small and remote islands in Indonesia, often
\ndump waste directly into the sea without processing it.<\/p>\n
Benyamin Kahn, the director for APEX Environmental Indonesia
\nOceanic Cetacean Program, said that the agency's study found the
\nmajority of fish taken from waters around Sumbawa, West Nusa
\nTenggara and North Sulawesi were contaminated with mining
\ndisposal waste.<\/p>\n
\"Japan has rejected fish exports because of chemical
\ncontamination,\" the study revealed.<\/p>\n
Emil said both governments and industries should be held
\nresponsible for preserving the environment.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mining-firms-urged-to-stop-std-disposal-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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