Carmen Copper port personnel prepare the boom that they will use to contain oil spills. /Contributed Photo
TOLEDO CITY, Philippines – In celebration of the Month of the Ocean this May, Carmen Copper Corporation has taken measures to prepare for marine disasters such as oil spills before this happens.
On May 10, Carmen Copper trained 31 port personnel and safety officers on oil spill response at the Sangi Port in Toledo City.
Sangi Port is Carmen Copper’s port facility where copper concentrates are loaded and shipped to smelters in China, Japan and the province of Leyte, Philippines.
Experts from Philippine Environmental and Technological Systems and Services Inc. (PETSS, Inc.) provided the training on the proper use of the containment boom including discussions about the types of oil that may spill and its behavior, the hazards associated with oil spill and basic steps in spill control, among others.
In the afternoon, the team performed a simulation and actual deployment of the Sangi Port’s 300-meter oil spill containment boom acquired by Carmen Copper in 2017 to prepare for this kind of emergency.
This is also in compliance with the Bureau of Custom’s mandate for all port facilities in the country to have a disaster preparedness and management plans in place.
A containment boom is a temporary floating barrier designed to contain marine spills, and therefore to protect the environment. During an oil spill, a containment boom can protect critical areas such as reefs and shorelines from the threats of oil slick and it can assist in easy recovery.
Carmen Copper, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atlas Mining operating the Toledo Copper Mine in Toledo City, is committed to sustainable mineral development through responsible operation. Through the company’s Environmental Protection and Enhancement Program, Carmen Copper ensures that its operation do not bring irreversible effects to the natural environment of Toledo.
Carmen Copper’s outstanding environmental management has garnered awards and recognitions from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association./dcb