Environment Ministry takes action to address clinker being offloaded from ships to trucks

The Ministry of Environment is taking necessary action to address the issues of clinker being offloaded directly from the ships to the trucks and taken to the factories as it will again have a negative impact on people and the environment.

Permanent Secretary for Environment Joshua Wycliffe says that they will be calling a meeting with Pacific Cement Limited to discuss what needs to be done.

This comes after serious concerns were raised after Pacific Cement Limited was ordered not to offload the clinker from the barges to the trucks in Lami.

They are ordered to take the clinker by truck from Kings Wharf to the factory in Lami.

Concerns have been raised that due to this, there would be clinker dust everywhere which is hazardous to the environment and the people.

The High Court has already stated that the clinker is hazardous to the environment when it ordered that the clinker should not go in the barges but be transported by trucks on the road.

These heavily loaded trucks will also cause more traffic and more stress to the bridges along the Suva to Lami route.

Wycliffe says that they are looking forward to meet with the company this week to discuss the legal framework to ensure that the requirements to the Environment Management Act are adhered to.

He says the Ministry is very concerned with the issue and how it will affect the people.