Monday, July 16, 2007 Council to meet hospital officials
THE Cebu City Council will meet hospital, environment, and health officials this Wednesday to address the reported dumping of hazardous waste in the Inayawan Landfill.
Invited to attend an executive session were the different hospital administrators and representatives of the Department of Health (DOH) 7, Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7, City Health Department, and the Public Services department of the City Government.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama wanted that they be enlightened of the technical aspects of the landfill, after Councilor Edgardo Labella asked the DOH to look into the compliance of all Cebu City hospitals in terms of proper disposal of hazardous wastes.
In an interview yesterday, Councilor Nestor Archival said they wanted to come up with a solution to the problem, as dumping of hospital waste poses a risk to public health.
Health risks
The council agreed to meet the concerned government agencies after Labella pointed out that aside from scavengers and garbage collectors exposed to the landfill, the dumpsite also threatens the health of those living near the facility.
Republic Act 6969, or the Toxic Substances, Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990, requires the proper management and disposal of toxic and hazardous waste, including infectious and pathological wastes from hospitals.
Segregation
It is also backed by City Ordinance 2031, which requires waste segregation and classification.
But hospitals reportedly opted to simply throw their wastes directly in the landfill, as evidenced by used needles, syringes, vials and gloves found in the facility.
This seemed to be supported by a recent announcement by the Pollution Abatement Systems Specialist (Pass) Inc., which earlier said it would close down due to lack of clients.
Pass treats hospital waste for a fee at the Inayawan landfill using autoclave technology, where infectious agents are destroyed through the use of steam heat and pressure.
Compared to paying Pass in destroying its wastes, however, hospitals likely just throw them in the landfill, which is without any fee.
Labella had said the situation poses a question on the hospitals’ compliance to proper waste disposal, and on the future of Cebu City’s environmental safety if Pass would eventually fold up. (RHM)
