Tuesday, April 24, 2007 Waste facility owners to shut down plant
THE lenient implementation of the government of Republic Act 6969 has prompted a waste treatment facility operator in Barangay Inawayan, Cebu City to shut down its business due to losses.
In a press conference at the City Sports Club Cebu last Friday, Pollution Abatement Systems Specialists (Pass) Inc. president Julito Pugoy said the company has decided to shut down the facility in July.
“Our partners have said they will not put in more capital,” he said.
During the press conference, Riza Saberon of Environmental Management Bureau said some of the large hospitals have invested in their own waste treatment facilities.
She admitted, though, that some of the smaller hospitals and government hospitals do not have such facility.
“But monitoring their compliance on this is not within our jurisdiction but the Department of Health’s. EMB only monitors the proper disposal of the waste,” she said.
Pugoy, for his part, said the company hopes it can still earn until July to recover its P20 million investment on the waste treatment facility.
Dumpsite
Pass, a group of Ce-buano mechanical engineers, is an environment, engineering, air and water consulting and contracting firm.
The company, upon the request of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the EMB, decided to install a waste treatment facility at the dumpsite to help companies, especially hospitals, comply with Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Substances, Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990.
The law requires the proper management and disposal of toxic and hazardous waste, including infectious and pathological wastes of hospitals.
Pugoy said the company treats the hazardous wastes of 19 hospitals and health care institutions.
Its monthly income of P140,000 could not cover for its P300, 000 monthly expenses.
“We spend so much on the power, fuel and labor. We ventured into the facility because of the govern-ment’s request. Now, where are they?” he said.
Campaign
Earlier, Jun Erasmo Villafane said the EMB will strictly implement RA 6969 after an information dissemination campaign through a series of meetings with the hospitals in Cebu.
While EMB is giving hospitals the discretion to pick the technology they want to use, the bureau has recommended the use of the waste treatment facility of Pass.
Pass’ facility uses the autoclave technology, which destroys infectious agents through the use of steam heat and pressure.
The thermal disinfection process is efficient. But unlike in incineration, the waste materials are not burned, reducing the risk of dioxin production. (JBN)
