Dispose wood chips, Guizo folks ask City Hall

The warehouse where 2,500 tons of wood chips wre stored in Barangay Guizo, Mandaue City.
CDN File Photo

About 600 residents of Barangay Guizo, Mandaue City, signed a petition asking for the disposal of 2,500 tons of wood chips stored at a warehouse, saying it poses a fire hazard and is a source of pollution in their area.

The petition came amid reports that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) had given Mandaue City Hall the green light to dispose of the wood chips that the agency seized from a vessel that came from South Korea last January.

Last Saturday evening and yesterday morning, the wood chips produced smoke and a warehouse caretaker named Glenn Opus called the Mandaue City Fire Station for assistance.

Opus said the Mandaue City Fire Station responded 20 times to his calls for assistance since June 25 due to smoke caused by the wood chips.

He said the wood chips still burn and produce smoke even when doused with water.

Guizo Barangay Chairman Jesus Neri said the residents were concerned for their safety and planned to stage a rally in front of Mandaue City Hall if their petition remains unanswered.

SFO3 Arnold Lao of the Mandaue City Fire Station said the wood chips produced smoke due to their prolonged exposure to heat in a confined space.

A BOC representative went to the warehouse last Saturday and said the disposal of these wood chips was finalized, but no date was mentioned for its disposal.

Mayor Luigi Quisumbing earlier wrote the BOC asking them to allow the Mandaue City government to dispose of the wood chips that were part of the plastic wastes imported from South Korea.

The wood chips were stocked inside a 500-square-meter warehouse since March this year and were used to cover the plastic wastes from South Korea brought to Cebu.

Quisumbing said the city government will dispose of the wood chips if the BOC authorizes them to do so.

Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office chief Arceli Barham said Customs District Collector Elvira Cruz said she told personnel to coordinate with the Mandaue City government for the disposal of the wood chips./Correspondents Norman V. Mendoza and Chris LiganDispose wood chips, Guizo folks ask City Hall

About 600 residents of Barangay Guizo, Mandaue City, signed a petition asking for the disposal of 2,500 tons of wood chips stored at a warehouse, saying it poses a fire hazard and is a source of pollution in their area.

The petition came amid reports that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) had given Mandaue City Hall the green light to dispose of the wood chips that the agency seized from a vessel that came from South Korea last January.

Last Saturday evening and yesterday morning, the wood chips produced smoke and a warehouse caretaker named Glenn Opus called the Mandaue City Fire Station for assistance.

Opus said the Mandaue City Fire Station responded 20 times to his calls for assistance since June 25 due to smoke caused by the wood chips.

He said the wood chips still burn and produce smoke even when doused with water.

Guizo Barangay Chairman Jesus Neri said the residents were concerned for their safety and planned to stage a rally in front of Mandaue City Hall if their petition remains unanswered.

SFO3 Arnold Lao of the Mandaue City Fire Station said the wood chips produced smoke due to their prolonged exposure to heat in a confined space.

A BOC representative went to the warehouse last Saturday and said the disposal of these wood chips was finalized, but no date was mentioned for its disposal.

Mayor Luigi Quisumbing earlier wrote the BOC asking them to allow the Mandaue City government to dispose of the wood chips that were part of the plastic wastes imported from South Korea.

The wood chips were stocked inside a 500-square-meter warehouse since March this year and were used to cover the plastic wastes from South Korea brought to Cebu.

Quisumbing said the city government will dispose of the wood chips if the BOC authorizes them to do so.

Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office chief Arceli Barham said Customs District Collector Elvira Cruz said she told personnel to coordinate with the Mandaue City government for the disposal of the wood chips.