Firm gets permits to treat hospital wastes

CEBU, Philippines — The biggest medical waste treatment provider in Central Visayas may now service hospitals, clinics, and funeral parlors after the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources gave the permit to operate a Treatment, Storage and Disposal facility and permit to transport medical wastes.

"We are ready to serve and collect these medical wastes," said Antonio Tompar, chairman of the board of Pollution Abatement Systems Specialists Inc. (PASSI)

PASSI, which has been in business for 15 years, was ordered closed when the Inayawan Landfill in Cebu City was closed in June last year.

Last week, however, its facility at the Inayawan Landfill, which has a broiler and autoclave, was given a permit to operate.

Tompar said they used to collect medical wastes from majority of Cebu’s hospitals and clinics.

The granting of the permits was timely amidst the recent controversy that medical wastes are thrown indiscriminately into the Mactan channel.

Tompar said their facility can process or "cook" two tons of medical wastes per hour, although it has the capacity to process four tons per hour.

Cebu's medical wastes reach about two tons per day.

Aside from those in Cebu, PASSI also collects medical wastes from hospital and clinics in other places in Central Visayas.

PASSI was founded by a group of mechanical engineers and pioneers in using autoclave technology in Cebu and the rest of the region in the health care waste management industry.

Earlier, EMB-7 reminded all Hazardous Waste generators to avail of Treatment, Storage and Disposal (TSD) services from facilities accredited by the bureau.

CEBU CITY HOSPITALS

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Council asked hospitals in the city to submit report on how they dispose of their medical wastes.

“To request all private and public hospitals, operating within the jurisdiction of the City of Cebu, to submit a report on the process and status of their hospital and medical waste disposal which include, but is not limited to, daily tonnage of hospital and medical waste disposal, third-party service provider, and final disposal site of wastes,” reads the resolution penned by Councilor Joel Garganera that the Council approved last Tuesday.

Garganera also asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 Environmental Management Bureau to provide an inventory on the existing hospital and medical waste facilities and third party service providers operating in Metro Cebu.

To recall, Garganera met at least 30 hospital administrators in Metro Cebu last week and reported that there are over 200 barrels containing medical wastes that remained uncollected.

It was on January 5 this year when piles of medical waste were seen floating off the shores of Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City causing health and environmental concerns of the residents in the area.

There were needles, syringes, IV solution bags and others which contain blood samples and disinfectants seen floating along the shores.

Aside from these, yellow plastics were also seen in the dumpsite in Mandaue City.

Garganera said EMB-7 has already fined the groups found responsible for the hospital wastes seen untreated and disposed of properly.

Garganera said solid waste management and hospital waste disposal and treatment should be one of the main concerns of the local government units.

“The improper hospital waste disposal and treatment may also be present in the City of Cebu such as, but not limited to, disposal of hospital wastes surrounding bodies of water, indiscriminate disposal in open spaces, and improper handling of hospital waste, which causes health risks and hazards to the residents of the City of Cebu,” he said. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo /JMO (FREEMAN)