A P6.4-MILLION air quality monitoring station will be established at the mining community in Bataraza, a town located in southern Palawan.   

Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corp., Coral Bay Nickel Corp., and Graymont Philippines, Inc. announced that they are partnering with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to procure the station, which is expected to be set up by the third quarter this year.   

“Monitoring air quality, especially in a mining community is crucial for an effective air quality management system in order to take necessary corrective actions to reduce air pollution and maintain the health of the air that people breathe,” the firms said in a joint statement on Sunday.  

The continuous ambient air quality monitoring station (CAAQMS) is capable of monitoring particulate matter of 10 and 2.5 micron particle size.  

It will also be equipped with a data acquisition system and can display real-time results of air quality that will be visible to the public.  

Rio Tuba Nickel Mining said it conducts monthly in-house air quality monitoring, but the CAAQMS will further strengthen the quality of the mining company’s monitoring system to ensure that the environment and public health are protected from the dangers of air pollution.  

Funding support and other relevant technical assistance for the CAAQMS, including procurement, maintenance, and operational expenses, will be provided by the three companies.  

This will be the second CAAQMS in Palawan, with the first located in Puerto Princesa, the capital city.  

“The government has been strictly enforcing measures on the mining industry to ensure that it continuously adapts environmentally-sustainable and responsible practices by adhering to environmental laws in the country. Private companies in the country prove that responsible mining can happen,” Environmental Management Bureau Mimaropa Regional Director Joe Amil M. Salino said in a statement. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson 

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