THE Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Central Visayas has recommended the suspension of the Treatment, Storage and Disposal (TSD) Registration of the Davao City Environmental Care Inc. (DCECI) after hospital waste they were supposed to treat ended up at the Mactan Channel and other areas.

With DCECI’s suspension of operations, the EMB-Central Visayas has asked its client hospitals to avail the services of three firms, including a waste-to-energy facility in Lapu-Lapu City that could help in collecting and treating their hospital waste.

In a statement, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 executive director Gilbert Gonzales and EMB 7 director William Cuñado said they decided to suspend DCECI’s TSD registration following an evaluation of the firm’s facility in Mandaue City earlier this week.

During the evaluation, Gonzales and Cuñado said DCECI must upgrade their technology to be able to cater to clients.

The TSD registration is given to a facility who fully satisfies the necessary requirements to operate such establishment.

The TSD registration emphasized the capability of the facility to ensure the sound treatment and safe disposal of hazardous waste.

Cuñado said it will be up to their central office in Manila to decide on whether to suspend DCECI’s TSD registration.

This is the second suspension order issued against DCECI.

Last week, the Mandaue City Government issued a cease and desist order against DCECI after medical wastes they were supposed to treat were found dumped beside the Butuanon River in Barangay Umapad.