ONLY household wastes, not hospital wastes, were found by residents in Barangay Bagacay in Sibonga town, said the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Central Visayas Thursday, January 17.

The EMB-Central Visayas conducted an investigation in the said barangay after receiving word from the village officials that hospital wastes were found floating off the coast in the said village earlier this week.

But EMB-Central Visayas director William Cuñado said that based on the investigation conducted by his personnel, only household wastes such as plastic containers, empty liniment bottles, and plastic bags were found there.

They also found one used syringe and a plastic container that looks like a syringe.

EMB-Central Visayas personnel and Miguelito Paller, Sibonga Municipal Environmental and Natural Resources officer, confirmed finding the household wastes.

“These syringes, the pharmaceutical bottle, and the amber bottles that are commonly used in healthcare facilities must have given the residents the idea that the recovered items are healthcare wastes. Medicinal items used in a household are not considered healthcare wastes,” Cuñado said.

EMB-Central Visayas personnel already advised the barangay officials to place the recovered wastes in their Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) for proper disposal.

Cuñado also reminded the public to dispose their wastes properly and must not throw them anywhere, especially in large bodies of water such as seas and lakes. (JKV)