The oil exploration activities in the Albertine grabbed by Total E&P Uganda have generated 57,000 tons of toxic liquid and solid wastes from the Exploration Area-1 and Exploration Area-1A being undertaken by Total E&P Uganda.
The waste includes 40,000 tons of hazardous solid and 17,000 tons of liquid toxic materials.
Nyamasoga waste treatment plant is a 40 billion shillings (U$ 14M) owned by Uganda and South African nationals.
Mr Joel Ogarubo, the Land Field Manager at EnviroServ Uganda, the company contracted to manage the waste said on Thursday that such materials are highly toxic since it can cause cancer.
Ogarubo explained that, “The waste materials could carry heavy metals such as lead which is dangerous to the body once it is consumed. Such metal can contaminate water making it poisonous.”
He adds that the waste management plant which is the first of its kind in East Africa meets the International Standard.
According to Ogarubo, a treated toxic waste from oil and gas exploration can take up to 30 years to detoxify.
Since November 2014, EnviroServe Uganda has been treating the waste at its plant in Hoima district.
Total E&P Uganda have so far transferred all the drilling wastes; mud cuttings and liquid waste from Purongo legacy waste site and Tangi and Bugungu temporal waste consolidation areas in Nwoya and Buliisa districts to Nyamasoga waste treatment plant for proper management and stabilization.
Mr Christopher Ocowun, the Public Relation Officer of Total E&P Uganda says, “So far more than 18,000tons of drill cuttings were transferred from Purongo Legacy waste site in Nwoya district, Bugungu and Tangi temporal waste consolidated areas.”
He said besides the drill cuttings, Total E&P Uganda through its contractor, EnviroServ, has also transferred about 2000m3 of liquid waste from Tangi and Bugungu to Nyamasoga waste treatment plant.
Environmentalists have urged the government and oil firms to ensure that the environment is not damaged during oil exploration activities in the Albertine grabben.
In the forefront is World Wide Fund (WWF), which says the Albertine Rift Valley is Africa’s most diverse eco-region and Uganda’s proven petroleum reserves are located within 70 per cent of its wildlife-protected areas, including Murchison Falls, Semiliki and Queen Elizabeth national parks.
Activists, government and political officials handling environmental dockets in Bunyoro recently met in Hoima Town to draft strategies on how to enhance natural resources management and agreed to intensify scrutiny of oil activities.
The activists also said setting up rigs in Murchison Falls, as well as noise and lights during drilling could affect the feeding and mating patterns of nocturnal animals.
Ms Ahlem Friga-Noy, the Corporate Affairs Manager Total E&P Uganda noted that they are carrying out operations in close collaboration with the environmental bodies and lead government agencies in all its undertakings in oil and gas activities.
Friga- Noy said the company was fully committed to avoiding any unnecessary damage on the ecosystem by ensuring safe waste dumplings.
