AROUND 300 residents living in Sitio Sombrea, Barangay Lawaan 1, Talisay City, are urging government officials to close a feeds mill situated in their area due to claims of noise and air pollution.
Dr. Gary Lapinid, who represents the residents of St. Ignatius de Loyola Subdivision and other areas in Sitio Sombrea, said that the operations of Provera Nutritional Solution and Animal Feed Mill Corporation (PNSAFMC) is causing undue discomfort for him and other residents living in the area due to the fumes and noise they release.
But officials of PNSAFMC denied allegations made by Lapinid and the other residents, adding its operations have been certified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as within standards of environmental policies concerning air and noise pollution.
In an interview, Lapinid told SunStar Cebu that ever since PNSAFMC started operating back in 2013, it has allegedly been causing problems to residents living around the plant.
He said that back in September of this year, the Department of Health (DOH)-Central Visayas conducted an inspection in the area.
Health officials led by Engr. Henry Saludar, DOH-Central Visayas sanitary engineer, recommended for the preventive suspension of the plant's operation until such time that PNSAFMC can comply with its sanitary and business permits with the local government unit.
They also recommended to transfer the plant to a suitable location, as it is currently situated in a residential and commercial zone.
Aside from DOH, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Central Visayas also issued an order cancelling the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) of PNSAFMC until such time that it could submit a zoning certificate.
The Talisay City Government, through Mayor Eduardo Gullas, also issued an executive order last November 7 for temporary cessation of PNSAFMC's operations until it can secure its ECC.
The order is expected to be implemented within 30 days from November 7.
But in a separate interview, officials of PNSAFMC denied that their operations are the alleged cause of pollution in their area.
Lawyer Bayani Atup, PNSAFMC legal counsel, told SunStar Cebu that even the EMB certified the emissions coming from their plant as within the standards.
Based on a recent air quality standards examination conducted by EMB, PNSAFMC's emissions, particularly sulfuric oxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter, were found to be below the tolerable levels.
Atup said this is due to the mitigation measures they placed on their plant just before they start operating.
Atup said they were even visited by officials of DENR Central Office following a complaint filed to their office by Lapinid and his members but even the officials found no signs of pollution in their plant.
He added that DENR officials challenged Lapinid to have his house placed with ambient air sampling equipment to determine if pollution from the plant had reached his subdivision, but Lapinid reportedly refused.
Atup assured that his clients are considering moving out of Sitio Sombrea and transferring their operations to the City of Naga due to the high cost of rentals in their current plant.
But if Lapinid and his colleagues continue to harass them, Atup said his clients will have no choice but to file civil cases against them.
