THE Regional Democratic Council of Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) has slammed the dust collector system installed at Bosai Minerals Incorporated, saying that the facility was inefficient in trapping dust, and residents continue to suffer as a result.Through a motion moved by veteran bauxite employee Charles Sampson and seconded by Councillor Antonio Hackette, the RDC on Thursday called on all relevant entities, including the Ministries of Natural Resources and Public Health, and the Environmental Protection Agency, to ensure that the environment in the bauxite mining communities is kept cleaner through regular inspection of the dust collecting system.

In his contention that Bosai’s dust collecting system is inefficient, Councillor Sampson said that representatives of the company were unable to give an answer on the efficiency of the dust collector when it was installed. Sampson added that the dust collector is only installed on kilns 13 and 14, and these kilns are not interlinked in the event of one breaking down. He said there is no dust collector on Kiln 10, which is the most important kiln and has the lowest stock.

“The dust collectors are not interlinked…. One of the things people get fooled with Bosai, Bosai get dust collectors on the calciners, but what about the dryer…? The dryers throw the most dust in the atmosphere, and there is no dust collector there. They got some days they drying bauxite and you crossing the bridge, and by the time you get across the other side, your whole face white or brown,” Sampson said.

The Councillor, who has more than 20 years’ experience working in Guymine’s laboratory, said Linden residents are being fooled with the perception that the atmosphere is dust-free, but the micronized dust — which he described as “the worst one” — is more visible in the nights.

“Dust is alive and real in this community, and Bosai gotta do much better. They have to put a dust collector on number 10 kiln, the dryer where they ship out bauxite with high moisture, and when the ships loading, they got to cover it,” he declared. If this is not done earliest, the concerned Councillor said, communities such as Silver Town, West Watooka, Canvas City and Retrieve would continue to be polluted by the dust, as Kiln 10 is very low.

Before installation of the dust collectors, residents of these communities had for years bemoaned the environmental and health situation regarding the bauxite dust. Many residents were forced to migrate, after being diagnosed with respiratory diseases such as asthma.

Technical Services Coordinator Wainwright Bethune, in an invited comment, said it would not be feasible to install a dust collector on dryer 10, as the minimum moisture retained during production is 5%. He explained that the drying process is producing almost the same results as the dust collectors, and is used for 20 minutes to half an hour the most.

Bethune posited that the process is entirely different from when there was no dust collector, and he said it would take close to US$8M to install a dust collector on dryer 10.

“Why are you going to install something that is not working regular? The dryer just works as required; it’s not like kiln 13 and 14, that works all the time,” he argued.

The Technical Service Coordinator encourages the RDC Councillors to hold a consultation with Bosai, to understand the process and also to have engagements with the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the way forward.