London Distillers Kenya (LDK) has written to the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) saying that their effluent is molasses and not toxic.
LDK has requested EPZA to grant it 30 days to repair its blocked manholes, repair the vandalized pipes and start the factory operations.
Last week, the sewer line from LDK was disconnected by Mavoko Water and Sewerage Company (MAVWASCO) working with the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA).
The water company said after analyzing samples of the effluent from LDK’s distillery, it found they do not meet the standards set by the Environment Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA) and Water Regulations 2016.
“We will invite your technical team to come over and grant us more advice as they collect samples for further analysis,” added P.S Mann, LDK’s General Manager Administration.
EPZA in response to LDK’s letter has said that the company’s license to discharge any effluent to their sewer line shall remain suspended until all experts shall be satisfied that the effluent emitted from their factory meets the required international standards.
“All the experts should be satisfied that the effluent emitted from your factory meets the international acceptable environmental standards for effluent treatment and discharge into any public facility including our facility,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) EPZA, George Makateto.
In a letter dated September 25, 2019, LDK said they have put up a treatment plant at the factory to cater for the treatment of their effluent before discharging it to EPZA sewer line.
“Our effluent is basically molasses waste of which we believe is not toxic,” said Mann.
They said they have since closed down their operations at the plant because they cannot operate without a sewer line.
EPZA has since suspended LDK’s permit to discharge its effluent into public sewer, saying that tests result from various reputable laboratories indicates that LDK is discharging hazardous effluents to human beings, environment and organisms.
Makateto said that they have enough evidence indicating that the effluent being discharged from LDK’s distillery to the public sewer line owned by the Authority is hazardous.
Mavoko Water and Sewerage Company (Mavwasco) has also protested against its workers’ harassment by London Distillers Kenya Limited employees in Athi River, Machakos County.
The firm’s managing director Michael Mang’eli claimed that some of his casual workers were attacked by LDK staff while on duty few meters from the distiller’s main plant on Monday.
Mang’eli said one of the workers was unlawfully arrested by the attackers and handed over to inspectorate officers from Machakos county government.
“We have since received information that some of our casual workers were being harassed by LDK employees. We followed up and one of them who had been handcuffed and detained at Mavoko sub county offices was released,” Mang’eli said.
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