Acting Cenro chief Placido Jerusalem inspects the plastic wastes dumped in a private lot near the Butuanon River.
Contributed Photo/Mandaue CIO
The Mandaue City government ordered a halt in the dumping of solid wastes from private company in a 2,000-square meter private lot in Barangay Tingub, Mandaue City yesterday.
Placido Jerusalem, acting Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) chief, said their personnel caught a dump truck owned by a certain company named “EnviroTech” that were disposing tons of shredded plastic wastes.
He said the wastes were being used to produce PVC pipes.
Jerusalem said they are verifying reports that the wastes supposedly came from South Korea.
He said they issued a citation ticket to EnviroTech for dumping waste in a private lot and transporting waste materials without securing a transport permit from City Hall.
EnviroTech is also fined P16,500 which the company must settle within 72 hours from the issuance of the citation.
“The private lot should not have been made a dumpsite. If they wanted to, they should have went through a process and conducted a public hearing,” Jerusalem said.
When the Cenro team went to the area yesterday morning, tons of shredded plastics contained in what appeared to be sacks were piled all over the lot.
Jerusalem said EnviroTech began dumping wastes in the area since Jan. 22 and the wastes were emitting a strong foul odor that can harm nearby communities.
The lot is near the Butuanon River within the boundary of Barangays Tabok and Tingub.
Jerusalem said the 2,000-meter lot was reportedly rented out to EnviroTech by an architect.
Cebu Daily News is withholding the name until his side is heard on the issue.
“A representative of EnviroTech named Edmund Roxas told me that they only used the lot as a ‘yard.’ But I don’t think this is a yard, they have turned it into a dumpsite,” Jerusalem said.
He said they will investigate the incident to determine if EnviroTech has the documents to dump their wastes there.
Jerusalem said they were ordered by Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing to investigate there last Sunday.
“If they don’t have the documents, we will have to recommend the filing of case against them for violation of the Section 48 of Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act,” Jerusalem told Cebu Daily News.
Jerusalem said the law prohibits the transport and dumping of collected industrial, commercial and institutional wastes in a non-designated area.
He said it also prohibits the operation of waste management facilities without an Environmental Compliance Certificate.
Violators will be fined at least P100,000 or imprisonment of at least one year or both depending on the court’s discretion.