EMA: Too few firms follow pollution rules

ONLY 968 established companies out of 5,000 companies – or just about 20 per cent – have so far registered to comply with the Environmental Management Authority’s (EMA) Water Pollution Rules. The policy is expected to be implemented in November.

Addressing stakeholders at a consultation on the policy, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce TT (Amcham) yesterday at the Hilton Trinidad, St Ann’s, EMA managing director Hayden Romano said while the figure is alarming, most of the 80 per cent who still have to sign on are very small establishments. “If we look at the potential of over 5,000 companies (that) should be registered based on an inventory done by the EMA in 2014, we have just about 968 that are registered,” he said, most of which seemed to be primarily bars and restaurants.

While they may be polluting. he said, the authority still believed they had captured in the 20 per cent the major polluters in terms of point’s sources of pollution.

He said with the change in the policy, there will be no more source registration. Instead, companies will be required to get a permit from the EMA.

Fees for violation of the policy are up to $100,000, and Romano his hope is that with the increase in the fees, it will encourage people to comply.

Amcham CEO Nirad Tewarie said while the organisation was appreciative of the EMA taking time to have the consultation, and acknowledge that some of the feedback from its members would affect what becomes of the regulations when the policy is laid in Parliament later on in the year.

One of Amcham’s major concerns is how the fees will be calculated for large facilities with large volumes of effluent, if the monitoring and inspection component of the formula is going to require companies to pay up to $100,000 per point of emission.

Stakeholders could find themselves in a situation where it becomes punitive and unfair, Tewarie said, rather than an incentive to improve – which is what the rules are designed to be. “We are going to go back and talk to our membership. One of the things that we are going to look at is a more realistic figure for the actual cost of monitoring and inspection. That fee should cover the cost of monitoring and inspection and we are a little sceptical that would cost $300,000 per year.”

Speaking to Newsday after the consultation, Romano said the concerns about the new fixed fee for businesses based on how much they pollute and it is something the EMA will review.

“I think the major concern among stakeholders – which I expected – is that we are going from fixed fees to a fee based on how much you are polluting. It is a big increase for business and businesses are concerned on how it is going to be implemented,” he said. “But I think they also understand the need for it. They will prefer some sort of a phased approach, and this is what the EMA will be looking at.”

Given the feedback from the consultation, Romano said, the EMA has some more work to do.