Report point to Freeport, illegal mines

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The 2002 Indonesian environment status has listed gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia and illegal miners as environmental problem-makers in the country.

The report, which will be released soon, states that Freeport tailings have polluted a nearby river.

Freeport has a huge mining operation in the natural resource- rich province of Papua.

The report claims that Freeport will discharge 2.675 billion tons of waste up to 2014. It also reports that as of 2001, the company had released 181,623 tons of waste into Wanagon Lake.

"In terms of waste volume, Freeport is the largest polluter, but in terms of intensity, it may be not the largest," State Minister of the Environment Nabiel Makarim told the Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

The report says Freeport carried out a special environment assessment (ERA) to manage its tailings, but concludes that the risk of tailings might be higher than earlier predicted. It also revealed the possible environmental impact of Freeport tailings.

Several new parameters also pose problems, therefore in-depth assessment should be conducted, according to the report.

Nabiel said he would soon issue a decree to improve Freeport's environmental management and environmental monitoring plans.

"It's impossible for Freeport not to pollute the environment. We must issue a decree that requires Freeport to minimize its pollution," he said.

On illegal mining activities, the report says that the illegal practices, the locations of which are scattered across the country, had also polluted rivers due to the widespread use of mercury.

The report states that Takaras River in Central Kalimantan has been polluted by two tons of mercury from 480 illegal sites.

"Since illegal mining activities are conducted by individuals, it's difficult to fight them," Nabiel said.

He also said that pollution from large-scale mining and illegal mining activities would continue to threaten the environment in the country.

"Mining activities in several areas in Indonesia have inflicted losses not only in the form of economic losses, but also environmental damage," the report said.

The report also points out that sand exports from Riau through illegal sand mining in the province has also inflicted huge losses to the country.

Sand from Riau is exported to Singapore for the neighboring country's reclamation program.