TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry has asked Freeport Indonesia to submit a revised version of its one-year-late environmental impact analysis (amdal) report. “Freeport always answers that it’s not ready yet. What could we do then?” said the Director General of forestry and environmental design planning San Afri Awang on Tuesday, May 2.
Freeport must submit the revised amdal since their Modified Ajkwa Deposition Area (ModADA) can no longer hold the sediments of their mining activities. According to Awang, the company failed to include information about the sediments that have overflowed to its surrounding river, forest, and creek.
“The effects are widespread, there should be an amdal addendum considering that it has reached outside of the agreed territorial scope,” Awang said.
Read: Govt to Review Freeport after Environmental Damages Allegation
The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) considers that Freeport has actually destroyed the environment with the spill, which has amounted to Rp185 trillion worth environmental destruction.
Based on Freeport’s records, the company has a 230 hectares ModADA that is located at Ajkwa’s riverbank. The mining wastes could reach 230,000 tons every day on a normal operation.
Freeport’s audit document explains the company's decision to not build a new waste pool was a byproduct between Freeport and the ministry. The company only add the length of the embankment and change their waste material handling system.
Freeport has also compensated the Governments of Mimika Regency and Papua Province since 2011. The company claims that they have spent a total of Rp343.13 billion in compensation.
As an illustration, the production of one gram of gold produces 2.1 tons of leftover materials and 5.8 kg of toxic emissions such as lead, arsenic, mercury, and cyanide.
ROBBY IRFANY