Madang locals call for waste disposal plant

LANDOWNERS along Madang’s Finistere Ranges of Raicoast are worried about the future of Astrolobe Bay.
They said with the discovery of oil and gas seeps, any refinery there must have a proper waste disposal plant.
Joe Koroma, the principal landowner of Guiyebi Nogoi Yowo clan in Kurumbukari, said the environmental issues seriously worried them.
“The Astrolobe Bay is in for a lot of refineries.
“There are large oil and gas deposits which extend from the inland all the way to the coast at Basamuk,” he said.
“If we, in PNG, are serious then the government must plan ahead with the mandated agency to come up with a long-term project,” he said.
Koroma said such a treatment plant “will solve all environmental issues by purifying all waste matter”.
He said with Ramu nickel’s court case over environmental matters, the authorities must remember there “will be more refineries coming up”.
In a short press statement, he said it would be visionary for the government to invite a company or an agent to construct a waste treatment plant to deal with MCC.
“Shortly the Chinese developer may not be the only company dumping waste into the sea along this coastline,” he said.
“The government must help build a central waste control system that can treat all waste so that all this will be environmentally friendly.
“At this stage it may be too early, but not long there will be others.
“Marengo is only waiting on the decision of MCC while others have formed their own landowner groups and were seeking expertise to bring in developers and financiers,” he said.
There are reportedly areas in Akurkai village bordering Josephstaal and Aiome, Sogeram River in the Middle Ramu district, Joram Gas in the ward one area including Gomumu and Mungou villages in ward nine and two respectively of the Naho Rawa LLG in Raicoast.
“We have all these and the government should seriously consider a one major refinery for all these oil and gases,” he said.