Golden Veroleum Liberia dismisses reports of failure to adhere to environmental protection policies.
Sinoe County, Liberia, 16 September 2024: Oil Palm Company Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL) says it is committed to protecting the environment and communities around its operational areas by implementing its environmental protection policies.
GVL says its environmental performance is independently audited every year as a condition of an Environmental Permit granted by the Government of Liberia, noting “GVL’s environmental permits for our Liberian operations, including Tarjuowon mill, have been renewed following the submission of the most recent Environment Audit Report (EAR) in May 2024.”
In a press release, Management explains that these reports include recommendations to optimize the company’s environmental operations. “GVL takes this feedback seriously and has developed an action plan to remedy outstanding issues. These actions will be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency in the third quarter of 2024.”
No Phosphate Found in Drinking Water
It counters a report by a local daily, The Daylight, that ‘water samples tested positive for excessive phosphate levels’, which could be harmful to human health. This report clearly misunderstands the workings of a palm oil mill and misrepresents auditors’ findings.
The release continues that Phosphate testing was conducted on GVL’s palm oil mill effluent (POME) storage pools, which store and treat POME before it is used as organic fertilizer on estates.
“This effluent is not meant for human consumption, and application is carefully controlled and monitored on our estates to minimize runoff into waterways. GVL will continue treatment to reduce POME phosphate levels in line with recommendations by the EAR.”
It points out that the EAR also identified improvements to how empty fruit bunches (EFBs) should be managed, adding, “EFBs were not found to be polluting water sources, but GVL has taken immediate steps to identify alternative areas for the safe disposal of EFBs to counter any risk of water pollution.”
Committed to Action on EAR Report Recommendations
Management says while it remains positive about GVL’s overall environmental record, the Tarjuowon EAR identified a number of recommendations for improvement, including enhancing health and safety protocols for staff and addressing dust and noise from trucks passing through local communities. It reveals that GVL has developed an action plan to address these issues in line with EAR recommendations and that these changes will be implemented by the end of 2024.
“GVL continues to welcome community feedback and encourages engagement through our grievance management process. Our sustainability department handles all grievances, and grievance procedures are included in all our MOUs.”
GVL maintains that recent articles published by The DayLight and published in other outlets continue to reprint inaccuracies and misrepresent Golden Veroleum Liberia’s (GVL) environmental record. Press Release
