GEBE blames malfunctioning
pipe conduit for recent oil spill
PHILIPSBURG--An improperly sealed pipe conduit in the concrete containment wall that is used to prevent oily water from utilities company GEBE’s waste oil management and treatment plant from seeping into the ocean is said to be the cause of a three-mile-long oil spill that affected Simpson Bay to Cupecoy on June 13.
Company managing director Julius Lambert said in a press statement, “The management of GEBE is aware that unfortunate incidents can occur at times and accepts full responsibility for the incident and apologises to the public of St. Maarten.”
He explained that after the spill it had become evident that the pipe conduit in the concrete wall, which appeared to be sealed, “was not sufficiently sealed and oily water seeped through between the conduit and the concrete wall.”
The level of the oily water behind the containment wall rose as a consequence of the continuous heavy rainfall from the night before causing the oily water, which was too much for the oily water separator to trap the oil in the water, to escape and flow into the ocean.
“GEBE fully recognises the importance of a healthy and clean environment and what this means for our community and tourist-oriented economy. Therefore, it has always been the policy of GEBE to protect our environment. Over the years, GEBE has invested and continues to invest huge amounts of resources in protecting our environment,” Lambert stated.
Commenting on reports in the press that GEBE does not have a hindrance permit that is required for operations such as those it carries out, Lambert stated that when GEBE started its operations some 45 years ago there was no ordinance that regulated or required a hindrance permit. This regulation only came into effect years after GEBE commenced operations, he added.
“In accordance with the law, GEBE submitted a request for a hindrance permit to the Department of Environmental Policy (VROM) in 1996. However due to the non-availability of expertise, VROM could not process the hindrance permit that had the necessary requirements for operations for such a complex industrial installation as that of GEBE,” Lambert stated.
On this note, GEBE has taken the initiative to hire and pay a Curaçao-based engineering firm to assist it and VROM in preparing the hindrance permit, he disclosed. “Several discussions were held over the years with the representative of VROM and we hope that a plan of action on the different steps to be taken can be agreed upon shortly, as it is in the interest of both GEBE and the community that a proper hindrance permit is in place.”
Responding to statements in the press that he could not be reached for comments when the oil spill occurred, Lambert said he was always available to the press for comments, but in this case he had been off-island on company business for the last 10 days.
GEBE will probably be taken to court on Thursday in connection with the oil spill, Prosecutor Paul Mooij said on Monday.
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