Bamburi Cement Defends Itself Over Shutdown Order, Continues Operations

Bamburi Cement has defended itself over the security considerations raised by Mombasa County residents who accused it of dumping coal mud on open fields.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, Bamburi defined that the mud emissions close to the Mombasa Plant had been a one-off incident brought on by sturdy winds.

The manufacturing unit famous that every one operations had been nonetheless ongoing, emphasising that it’s a compliant firm with no information of environmental incidents because it started operations in 1954.

“Put up the latest incident highlighted, our inside evaluation established that this was a one-off incidence brought on by very sturdy unprecedented winds on the time of floor floor preparation at our coal storage facility. That is the primary time we have now skilled such an incident,” the assertion learn partially.

On Monday, the Mombasa County Authorities ordered the manufacturing unit to quickly shut down after residents complained that the mud affected their well being, inflicting respiratory infections. Some resorted to placing on face masks to guard themselves from the mud. 

That is after the officers from the county authorities and the Nationwide Atmosphere Administration Authority of Kenya (NEMA) visited the corporate and reviewed all points of operations.

The officers listed six suggestions together with reviewing the standard evaluation report for coal, the controls on coal motion from the port to the plant, and the Air High quality Evaluation.

Mombasa County additionally really useful a further sprinkling of water to suppress the fugitive mud and to cut back well being hazards. 

Additional, the county authorities advocated for the manufacturing unit to strengthen group engagement and deal with complaints on a first-hand foundation.

Additionally, a cross-functional committee was proposed to coordinate the manufacturing unit’s operations successfully.

“Bamburi Cement Plc is absolutely complying with all of the above-mentioned suggestions and holds all legitimate operational licenses and has been working responsibly for the final a number of many years,” the corporate acknowledged.

Whereas highlighting its dedication to a extra strong method in partaking with the locals, Bamburi famous that it was conducting numerous county actions by Company Social Duty (CSR) initiatives similar to instructional scholarships, the Mom and Baby Well being Program, renovation of the Most cancers Heart in Coast Normal Hospital and highway security consciousness coaching periods to highway customers.

Bamburi now initiatives to decarbonize their operations in a bid to bear a whole inexperienced transition. This can contain organising 20 MW Solar energy initiatives and shifting from highway to rail which reduces the usage of fossil gasoline of their operations.