Rama to meet CCMC brass regarding waste treatment

CEBU - Acting Mayor Michael Rama has scheduled to meet with the officials of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) to discuss the reported planned shut down of operations of Pollution Abatement Systems Specialists Inc.

PASS Inc. chairman Antonio Tompar explained that one of the reasons why they are planning to shut down their operations in Cebu City is because of huge losses that they have incurred the past years.

Tompar said that their facility can treat 2,000 kilos of hospital and other hazardous waste that will be generated from different hospitals and clinics everyday.

But while the PASS Inc.’s facility is capable of treating two tons of hazardous waste everyday, it is handling an average of only 100 kilos daily at P37 per kilo.

“We will discuss it on how it could be profitable for them,” Rama said.

Republic Act 6969 that regulates the use, distribution, sale and disposal of toxic, hazardous and nuclear wastes requires the hospitals, clinics and laboratories to treat their pathological or infectious wastes.

Those who will violate such provisions of the law may be slapped a fine ranging from P10,000 to P50,000.

But even the Cebu City Medical Center is not religiously complying with the provisions of the law by just placing their hazardous waste together with the ordinary garbage that will be thrown to the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

PASS Inc. had invested P20 million for its waste treatment facility in Inayawan.

The waste treatment facility treats hazardous and toxic waste through autoclaving — a process that will destroy infectious organisms through steam and heat pressure.

 Department of Public Services (DPS) chief Dionesio Gualiza had asked the officials of health institutions to strictly comply with the provisions of a city ordinance that requires segregation and classification of biodegradable, non-biodegradable waste.

The City of Cebu is now preparing a memorandum of agreement with the officials of PASS Inc. to take care of the hospital waste from CCMC.

But Tompar said they are planning to move to Puerto Princesa in Palawan where the mayor of that place has guaranteed a 1,000 kilos of hospital waste daily as compared to only 20 to 30 kilograms collected from CCMC. – Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)