The Fiji Sugar Corporation has categorically denied allegations made by the National Farmers Union’s General Secretary, Mahendra Chaudhry, claiming that toxic, unprocessed cane juice was dumped into the Ba River following the recent fire incident at the Rarawai Mill.
FSC in a statement says last Thursday, their personnel observed a small number of dead fish along the riverbank opposite the factory, where some individuals were seen collecting them.
FSC says they immediately initiated internal laboratory testing of river water samples which confirmed that all parameters were well within acceptable environmental limits, showing no abnormalities or evidence of contamination attributed to the mill.
FSC says following the fire incident at the Rarawai Mill on 17th September, all material in the process house was safely contained within storage tanks.
They say when temporary power supply was restored on 19th September, the stored material naturally began to deteriorate due to the extended downtime.
They say to manage this safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, a portion of the processed juice material was transferred to the Lautoka Mill for further processing.
FSC says the remaining material at the front end of the process was gradually directed to the effluent treatment ponds, in full compliance with government statutory requirements and standard mill procedures, where it underwent thorough treatment and secure containment.
They say at the back end of the process, the remaining massecuite (a mixture of sugar crystals and syrup) was successfully processed into sugar products and although this recovered sugar was not suitable for export, it has been safely stored for reprocessing once normal operations resume.
They say likewise, all processed syrup was transferred to Lautoka Mill storage facilities for safe handling.
FSC also confirms that minor frothing occurred in holding vessels containing residual material within the process tanks which caused limited overflow onto the process floor, which was promptly contained and diverted to pollution ponds for proper treatment. FSC emphatically rejects that there was any consequential overflow into the river.
They say it is important to emphasize that under normal operating conditions, all liquid effluent from the factory is directed to the treatment ponds for aeration and controlled biological breakdown.
FSC says the Rarawai Mill is equipped with three effluent treatment ponds, each fitted with electrically driven aerators that ensure continuous circulation and oxygenation and this system guarantees that any liquid material reaching the final pond is thoroughly treated before being safely stored.
They stress that solid waste, such as mill mud and ash, is handled separately and they engage licensed contractors to transport these materials to approved disposal sites.
FSC says these by-products are non-toxic and can also be reused by farmers as organic fertilizer.
The Fiji Sugar Corporation says they remain firmly committed to upholding the highest environmental and operational standards.
They say their internal monitoring systems are designed to protect the well-being of surrounding communities, river ecosystems, and the broader environment.
FSC says they continue to cooperate fully with relevant authorities to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and maintain complete transparency in our operations.
They reassure the public that no toxic or untreated material has been discharged into the Ba River.
FSC says they will continue to closely monitor the river’s water quality and share verified findings with the appropriate government bodies to ensure ongoing environmental safety and public confidence.
The National Farmers Union claimed that FSC on the night of 1st October surreptitiously dumped thousands of litres of toxic, unprocessed cane juice into the Ba River.
They claimed the juice was left standing in the tanks after the mill was forced to shutdown as a result of a devastating fire two weeks ago.
They called on the Environment Ministry to take action against FSC for deliberately polluting the Ba River, knowing full well its harmful consequences to both marine life and the people who are dependent on the river for their daily needs.
Questions have been sent to the Ministry of Environment.
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