The Central Visayas office of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7) has warned establishments that produce hazardous or infectious waste to only avail of the services of Treatment, Storage and Disposal (TSD) facilities that they have accredited to avoid legal repercussions and hefty fines.
Hazardous wastes are usually produced by hospitals and manufacturing industries which can pose danger to the environment and to the people’s health.
Engr. William Cuñado, regional director of EMB-7, reminded waste generators that it is their responsibility to make sure that their wastes are efficiently disposed.
“The firm should make sure that they will acquire the services of an EMB-accredited TSD Facility or else, this Office will be constrained to implement the law against the violators,” Cuñado said in a statement sent to reporters Wednesday, January 23.
“Non-compliance to this mandate will cause the firm to be fined with a minimum amount of P10,000 to a maximum amount of P50,000 per violation to Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990,” EMB-7’s statement reads.
The Aquilini Mactan Renewable Energy, Inc. (AMREI), a TSD facility based in CLIP-SEZ Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, is at present the lone firm accredited by EMB-7 to process and dispose of hazardous wastes generated by establishments across Metro Cebu and nearby areas.
AMREI, according to Cuñado, has the capacity to process 75 tons of hazardous waste per day, quite above the 15 tons that is produced by Cebu firms on the average daily.
Aside from AMREI, EMB-7 has endorsed two TSD Facilities to EMB Central Office for the approval of their renewal application for their TSD Registration Certificate.
These are Pollution Abatement Systems Specialist, Inc. (PASSI) in Cebu City and Medclean Management Solutions, Inc. (MMSI) based in Mandaue City./mga