Waste disposal firm faces sanctions

Acting Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Joemari Gerochi has directed the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to issue a notice of violation to a Parañaque company engaged in the collection and disposal of hospital waste.

Based on the report of the DENR National Capital Region (NCR), Gerochi said that Chevalier Enviro Services, Inc., (CESI) was found operating its treatment storage and disposal facility without the necessary permit from the EMB.

"It is still unlawful for CESI to operate though they were granted a permit by the local government unless a permit to operate its treatment storage and disposal facility is issued by the DENR-EMB," Gerochi said.

Gerochi said CESI has been found to have violated five conditions of its environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

"Its ECC violations include its failure to present fire safety permit, safety plumbing permit, occupational safety permit, business permit, DOH clearance, failure to submit a risk assessment and contingency plan, among others," Gerochi said.

Gerochi also ordered the EMB to require CESI to get an authority for the construction of its centralized fume emission scrubber system within 30 days.

He directed the EMB to submit proof of the claims of its owner that CESI was instructed by the local government to clean-up the area they operated for four days in order to eliminate all the stored wastes in their plant.

EMB Regional Director Sixto Tolentino reported to Gerochi that while CESI has an ECC, it has no permit to operate its treatment storage and disposal facility. CESI’s ECC was issued on May 24, 2000.

"This constitutes a violation of Republic Act 6969," Tolentino said. RA 6969 is known as the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990.

Tolentino said CESI would be given seven days to show cause why it should not be penalized.

"Failure to comply with the requirements means six months and one day to six years and one day imprisonment and a fine ranging from P600 to P4,000 under RA 6969," Tolentino said.

The DENR-NCR reported to Gerochi that CESI was given five days by the local government of Parañaque to operate its Microwave Disinfection Facility in order to test and evaluate the efficiency of its newly constructed fume emission control facility.