CAPAS, Tarlac -- Residents from a farming community in Barangay Cutcut, Capas recently turned to social media to air their worries about the alleged smoke and foul odor from a hazardous waste processing plant, which they claimed to have posed "health risks to villagers and their livelihood."
Locals, who requested anonymity for security reasons, relayed to SunStar Pampanga via messenger the plant identified as Clean Leaf International Corporation, which allegedly "releases black smoke from its stack into the air, emitting a foul and obnoxious odor."
"We have been experiencing health problems since the plant started its operation. Most of the residents here have filed formal appeals and complaints at the barangay hall in a bid to reach out to local government officials. But we have yet to hear from our local leaders regarding our concerns and worries," the locals, who claimed to be residing just a few meters from the hazardous waste processing plant, said.
"We have been experiencing difficulties in breathing especially the elderly who gasp for air each time Clean Leaf releases the smoke into the air that rapidly spreads within the community. We have to cover our noses with pieces of wet cloth to avoid inhaling the smoke," the locals said, adding that their sources of livelihood have been greatly affected due to the alleged air pollution.
Inhabitants of surrounding communities including Barangay Cutcut 2 and nearby Barangay Anupul in Bamban town, have similarly turned to social media, hoping their plight will reach the office of the local government unit.
"Sumasakit po ang sikmura ng mga taong nakalalanghap ng mabahong amoy and we're not going to wait for a member of family to suffer health problems because of air pollution," they said.
In its website, Clean Leaf International Corporation describes the plant as a "waste management and treatment, materials recovery, storage and disposal facility, and treater and transporter of waste in compliance to Republic Act 6969" or the "Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990."
The Clean Leaf website notes that "it is a duly registered company that deals with materials recovery, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. It also provides hazardous waste transport services to its clients, which empowers the company to directly oversee the strict implementation of in-house standard operating procedures from waste transfer, to processing, and to the final management of residuals."
Hazardous wastes collected from different industrial plants in Central Luzon and even Metro Manila are reportedly being transported into the Clean Leaf waste facility for processing, informed sources said.
SunStar Pampanga tried to reach Clean Leaf authorities for comments about the villagers worries and concerns but was unable to reach them as of Thursday, December 3. (JTD)