London Distillers seeks 30 days to deal with toxic effluent

London Distillers Kenya (LDK) Company has written to the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) saying that their effluent is molasses and not toxic.

LDK has requested EPZA to grant them 30 days to repair their blocked manholes, the vandalised pipes and start the factory operations.

“We will invite your technical team to come over and grant us more advice as they collect samples for further analysis,” added PS Mann, General Manager Administration.

EPZA in response to LDK’s letter has said that the company’s licence to discharge any effluent to their sewer line shall remain suspended until it will be confirmed that the effluent emitted from their factory meets the required international standards.

“All the experts should be satisfied that the effluent emitted from your factory meets the international acceptable environmental standards for effluent treatment and discharge into any public facility including our facility,” said EPZA chief executive officer George Makateto.

In a letter dated September 25, 2019, LDK said they have put up a treatment plant at the factory to cater for the treatment of their effluent before discharging it to EPZA sewer line.

“Our effluent is molasses waste of which we believe is not toxic,” said Mann.

They said they have since closed down their operations at the plant because they cannot operate without a sewer line is in operation.

EPZA has since suspended LDK’s permit to discharge its effluent into the public sewer, saying that tests result from various reputable laboratories indicates that LDK is discharging hazardous effluents to human beings, environment and organisms.

Makateto said that they have enough evidence indicating that the effluent being discharged from LDK’s distillery to the public sewer line owned by the Authority is hazardous.

“We as an organisation do not support any action that will result into pollution and endangering the lives of both human beings, environment and organisms by allowing you to continue discharging such waste into the EZPA sewer line,” added Makateto.

He said they have suspended LDK’s permit to continue discharging their effluent at their sewer line to protect the lives of human beings and organisms.

“Please be informed that it is your duty as a non EPZA industry to treat your effluent before discharging it into our facility,” added Makateto.

He added that any new application LDK’S make for reconnection will only be considered after it fully complies with the acceptable industrial international standards for effluent treatment and the application shall be placed before EPZA board of directors for approval.

Harassment

EPZA wrote a letter dated September 20, 2019, directed to LDK Company.

Mavoko Water and Sewerage Company (Mavwasco) has also protested against its workers’ harassment by London Distillers Kenya Limited employees in Athi River, Machakos County.

The firm’s managing director Michael Mang’eli claimed that some of his casual workers were attacked by LDK staff while on duty few metres from the distiller’s main plant on Monday.

Mang’eli said one of the workers was unlawfully arrested by the attackers and handed over to inspectorate officers from Machakos county government.

“We have since received information that some of our casual workers are being harassed by LDK employees. We followed up and one of them who had been handcuffed and detained at Mavoko sub-county offices was released,” said Mang’eli.