Water pollution: Biotech company apologises to Benue residents, installs N7.5 billion equipment
AREWA AGENDA – The management of Pure Biotech Company Limited in Benue State has installed equipment worth N7.5 billion to avert a reoccurrence of pollution of the River.
The Sun News reports that, the company also apologised to the residents of the state, particularly, the host community along Gboko road over the pollution of their source of water saying it was an accident and would never happen again.
It could be recalled that National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency, (NESREA), had sealed the company when residents raised alarm over the pollution of the River Benue by the company.
Addressing newsmen in Makurdi on Tuesday, the Corporate Communication and Public Relations Manager of the company, Mr Stephen Numbeve, said that the incident occurred when the Effluent Treatment Plant was under test and run.
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Numbeve said, “It occurred just that moment while the facility’s Effluent Treatment Plant then was under a test run. We erred, we were sanctioned according to the environmental laws, our facility was sealed on 17th April for almost two weeks but most importantly, we have learnt our lessons.”
He said the company had adopted the circular economy approach to waste management where all solid and liquid wastes are converted into biogas, fertiliser and treated wastewater is being recycled.
“Pure Biotech Company Limited, besides the incident, is not discharging any effluent into the environment, river or any water body whatsoever. We have installed a state-of-the-art Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) worth N7.5 billion.
“Our ETP is functional and all liquid and solid wastes (sludge) are pre-treated, recycled and or re-used.
The company said that it utilises about 1,100 metric tons of dried cassava and 3,200 metric tons of fresh cassava daily which are sourced from local farmers in Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Taraba, Niger, Cross River, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo and Ondo states with about 30,000 farmers, processors, distributors and factory workers engaged in the value chain.
