OEFA orders Repsol to stop mixing sand with oil to clean Lima's beaches

On January 15, Repsol spilled 6,000 barrels of oil on the Ventanilla coast. Since then, the Spanish multinational has tried to clean up the ecological disaster, however, its actions have been heavily criticized for its lack of adequacy and effectiveness.

The last of the questions about its work comes from the Environmental Assessment and Control Agency (OEFA), which revealed that clean sand is being mixed with oil-impregnated sand as a cleaning methodology on beaches in the Lima region.

In this sense, the agency attached to the Ministry of the Environment ordered to stop these actions, which were being carried out on San Gaspar beach located in the Serpentín de Pasamayo, district of Aucallama, Huaral province.

“The cessation of actions to mix sand impregnated with crude oil with clean sand in the supra tidal area of San Gaspar beach, which is used as a methodology for cleaning the aforementioned beach; as well as on other beaches where such actions were being carried out,” the OEFA statement read.

In addition, the environmental control authority requested that Repsol accredit the methodology used as a cleaning action on San Gaspar beach, as well as its effectiveness.

The OEFA also warned that “the administrative measures issued are mandatory by the La Pampilla S.A.A. refinery and failure to comply with them may result in the imposition of penalty payments of up to 100 ITU (S/460 000) for each measure and successively, until it is established its compliance”.

The agency reported that it will continue to issue additional administrative measures when potential risks resulting in damage to the environment or human health are evidenced or identified and will verify compliance with these by the supervised company.

UNFULFILLED MEASURES

To date, Repsol has failed to comply with 5 of the 16 administrative measures issued:

- Identification of areas affected by the spill.

- Cleaning the affected areas.

- Containment and recovery of hydrocarbons.

- Containment, recovery and cleaning of hydrocarbons in Protected Natural Areas.

- Containment and recovery of hydrocarbon from the second oil spill, which occurred on January 25, 2022.

For these reasons, the OEFA has so far imposed five penalty payments totalling 2,300,000 soles on the Spanish company.

ECONOMIC BONUS

The Ministry of Environment (Minam) made the symbolic delivery of economic bonds to artisanal fishermen from the Isla, Islets and Puntas Guaneras National Reserve (RNSIIPG), Fishermen Islets sector and the Ancón Reserved Zone, who were affected by the stoppage of their work after the oil spill.

For this reason, 612 artisanal fishermen have been registered and carry out their activities in the Isla, Islets and Puntas Guaneras National Reserve (RNSIIPG), Fishermen Islets Sector and the Reserved Zone of Ancón. They will be able to access a one-time bonus of approximately 700 soles per person.

Finally, it was reported that the IDB's Emergency Assistance for Natural Disasters Fund, through the Emergency Humanitarian and Environmental Assistance project to Overcome the Oil Spill Crisis in Peru, has allocated $200,000 for this purpose. These resources will be channelled by Profonanpe to assist affected families.

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