Molasses Disposal in Barbados

Updates: The Environmental Protection Department (Barbados) has removed some of the molasses through a suction hose and they are involved in restoring Coles Cave in co-operation with the owners of nearby land. Land owners intended to use the molasses for agricultural purposes and they are currently working with the EPD to prevent any further issues.

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The author submitted this original article to the Barbadian press on March 24, 2016

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Over the last few of months there have been many reports in the media concerning the dumping of molasses at various locations island wide. Of particular highlight was the dumping on the grounds of Mount Wilton Plantation as it is so close in proximity to Harrison’s Cave, 0.4 miles away to be exact. The owner of the land claimed that the molasses would not affect this prestigious cave, and to date that claim holds true.

However, there was no promise that the molasses would not impact other cave systems in the area, and it has since been discovered that it has seeped into and polluted Coles Cave, a lesser known cave in Barbados.

Cole's Cave is an underground cave system that spans many miles and has a water course that flows through it. There are rock pools that resemble jacuzzis that majestically flow into one another and there are areas where one can swim. What was once crystal clear water has been transformed into a brown oily sludge. The rock formations are stained a tar like colour by the molasses.

The molasses originally came from the Sugar Terminal at the Bridgetown town port and was stored in a container for 20 years that rusted and let it water. Being a natural substance, molasses is usually biodegradable, but because of the high volume that now exists in the cave and its age, it appears to be having difficulty doing this and it is hypothesized that poisonous hydrogen sulfide is being released and the oxygen content in the water is becoming depleted. What makes matters worse is that bats live in some parts of the cave and where their guano has come into contact with the molasses a black and yellow fungus resembling sea weed has formed.

As one of the veins of Barbados that water flows through on its path to the ocean, it is very possible that this pollution can enter the island’s drinking-water supply, contaminating what is considered to be one of the cleanest tap-waters in the world.

Several tour companies that utilise Cole's Cave have had to cease conducting excursions due to the unsafe and toxic conditions that the cave now presents. Often lauded as a highlight of visitors’ holidays as it has not undergone much human intervention unlike Harrison's Cave, it is likely that no more people can experience this hidden gem due to the long term damage that has undergone.

Work is currently being carried out on the farm to mitigate and block any further molasses from running into the gully. However, the molasses that is already in the gully is cause for concern. As it is under the canopy of the trees, it is not being heated by the sun and is still in liquid state. In some areas it is a foot deep and with rain this large set of molasses will also run into the cave.

Immediate action is required to prevent exacerbation of this environmental catastrophe. With the dump site at the Mount Wilton Plantation being only 0.4 miles away from Harrison’s Cave and 0.2 miles outside of the Harrison Cave Zone of Special Protection, there is still risk of contamination which would result in loss of millions of dollars in tourism revenue as Harrison's Cave is one of Barbados’ biggest foreign exchange earners.

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