Report pushes for ban on waste dumping in rivers

Caption: Dr Eric Kwa (third from left) with staff from CLRC pose with the report.

By MATTHEW VARi

Sunday, August 7, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

THE National Government has been urged to act on following the release of the report on the review of environmental and mining laws relating to the management and disposal of mine tailings, has recommended the ban of riverine tailings disposal in the country.

Anticipated by communities affected by mine tailings- the report has finally being completed despite initials delays since the terms of reference were given in 2007 by the State.

“This is to inform the public and inform the people of Papua New Guinea that one of the terms of reference that was given to review the environmental and mining laws relating to the management and disposal of mine tailings we have the report.”

“We have now submitted the report to the Minister for Justice and Attorney general Anno Pala, and he has received the report and we are waiting for him to present the report to cabinet to take the report to parliament.”

“The key recommendations here is to ban riverine tailings in PNG and so we hope that the government can act on our report quickly,” Constitutional and Law Reform Commission Secretary Dr Erik Kwa said.

He said the commissioner conducted the review with the mining industry- with recommendations contained initially 19 in total were moved to 18.

“They (recommendations) are basically at three levels.”

“One is about major legislative amendments to the mining act- the second is in relation to amendments to the regulations, the mining and environment regulations- and thirdly is basically administrative, ensuring that the department and the CEPA (Conservation Environment Protection Authority) improve their administrative systems to try and address the issue of mine tailings waste management.”

“The minister has received our report and he has agreed for a press released so that you can also can also inform people of PNG what the minister has said about the report.”

Dr Kwa added that the report has offered alternatives to the recommendations- one of which is the need to use tailings dams to dispose of mine tailings.

“We looked at the various technologies around and experiences around the world and we also looked at the case of Kainantu Gold where they had the case of tailings and also now with Hidden Valley Morobe mining who have also done a dam- we think it is the way to go.”

“So if these two mines have done it, then they have set the benchmark.”

“I think this is a very important report and a lot of people in the country are waiting, because it is also about river run tailings, dumping waste into the river, and as you know very well that the newest mine that might pop up is the Frieda River mine.”

“There is now a lot of discussions about dumping waste into the Sepik River, we have also got recommendations here.”