Pinatubo’s eruption spread volcanic ash in the areas surrounding the volcano, including the Bucao River, which sits on a national reserve. The abundance of ash in the river resulted in damaging floods to surrounding areas and communities, and whenever the rainy season hits the province the surrounding areas suffer from repeat flooding.
It is estimated that there is roughly 2.5 billion to 3.1 billion cubic material deposits in the Bucao River, which is estimated to be only 50% of the material produced during the eruption.
Greenphil is using dredging equipment and technology to recover the volcanic ash from the river in order to prevent the flooding. The dredging project aids the environment by restoring the river’s natural bed and eliminating the flood problem for surrounding communities and farmlands.