Gov’t to study environmental impact of Coloane chemical depots

The government has decided to conduct an environmental impact assessment on two sites in Coloane proposed to house storage facilities for hazardous materials, following several weeks of public campaigning against the project.

According to a government statement, the decision was taken in light of the opinions expressed by members of the public and suggestions from the Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak.

“Having an environmental impact assessment would address the issue of the security of any such facilities and ensure maximum safety for the public and for their property,” noted the government in the statement.

The two proposed sites, both located in Colonae at Estrada do Dique Oeste and Avenida Marginal Flor de Lotus, will be studied by local public works departments to determine their potential environmental impact should they be used for storing hazardous materials.

The government said that it understands the concern of the public and recognizes “their perception [that] there might somehow be a threat to the community [from] the proposed storage facilities.”

As such it is stepping up efforts to provide the public with further details regarding the criteria applied to selecting the proposed locations and the safety management measures that would be applied. The government believes that such efforts will improve transparency regarding the management of hazardous materials.

Meanwhile, the leader of a group of dissatisfied Coloane residents, Edith Mak, has said that another demonstration against the proposal will be held on September 9. According to public broadcaster TDM, a few hundred protestors are expected to join the demonstration.

The proposal to relocate the storage facilities for hazardous materials to the Concordia Industrial Park in Coloane was first raised in mid-July as a “temporary solution” until the government could devise a more suitable location.

Following scrutiny of the proposal by Macau’s Urban Planning Committee, which found several matters of concern, a group of residents of the Seac Pai Van area gathered to protest the decision, lamenting the lack of public consultation.

Late last month, a petition signed by over 7,400 people was delivered to the government, calling for a halt to the projet on the basis of safety concerns and what they described as “poor urban planning”.

But the government contests this idea and says that the proposed locations will reduce the likelihood of accidents. It said that the locations would avoid the unnecessary storage and transportation of dangerous chemicals.