Marine scientists from the University of the Philippines have warned that dumping dolomite sand at Manila Bay would not solve the environmental woes in the area.
“There are no short-cuts to a cleaner environment. The use of crushed Dolomite sand will not help solve the environmental problems in Manila Bay,” the UP Marine Science Institute said in statement, adding that dolomite sand grains may pose possible health risks and could be easily eroded when there are storms.
“At most, it is a beautification effort that is costly and temporary. The task of cleaning and restoring Manila Bay may be daunting but it needs to be done for future generations of Filipinos to benefit from its many uses,” it added.
MSI added that erosion threat and poor water quality are the two major problems Manila Bay is currently facing.
“Beach nourishment projects are not one-shot deals, especially for continuously eroding shorelines… Hence, continuously replacing the sand will be expensive and will not contribute to improving water quality in the Bay,” the institute added.
The institute warned the finer particles of dolomite could be “problematic” due to prolonged dust inhalation that could cause chronic health effects such as discomfort in the chest, shortness of breath and coughing.