EMB-7 issues discharge permit to private waste firm

A birthing center in Sun-ok, Tayud, Consolacion town has yet to dispose of its mounting garbage after PASSI still has to secure a treatment, storage and disposal permit. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) said yesterday that it has  issued a discharge permit and permit to operate for private waste management company Pollution Abatement Systems Specialist Inc. (PASSI).

In a statement, Regional EMB-7 Director William Cuñado said PASSI complied with the requirements by upgrading its waste water treatment facility and designating its White Road Inayawan Property as a temporary disposal area.

“After so many months of chasing after them we saw that they  complied with the requirements just a week ago,” Cuñado said.

He said PASSI set up its  facility in Inayawan  to ensure that the wastes are properly disposed.

But Cuñado said PASSI’s application for a Treatment, Storage and Disposal (TSD) facility permit is still pending online.

Without the TSD, Cuñado said “PASSI cannot collect, haul, transport, store, and treat the hospital wastes from hospitals where they have an existing contract or agreement.”

For the meantime, the  bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) called on hospitals to treat their own  wastes.

PASSI charges P40 per kilo of waste collected from hospitals.

“They (hospitals) can be penalized for improperly disposing of their wastes and the fines can range from P10,000 to P50,000 per violation,” Cuñado said.

He said another company, Davao City Environmental Care, is completing requirements for a TSD permit at the EMB-7.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama formed a task force of representatives of the city’s hospitals to deal with the emergency over uncollected infectious wastes from health facilities due to regulatory issues with  PASSI.