Mandaue's waste team impounds truck carrying unsegregated trash

CEBU, Philippines – The Mandaue City Solid Waste Management Team yesterday arrested a truck driver and his helper for transporting unsegregated garbage for a softdrink company in Mandaue City.

Placido Jerusalem, head of the city's Solid Waste Management Team said the vehicle has been impounded. Driver Felix Tamarra and his helper are being detained at the Mandaue Police Station 5 in barangay Opao.

The arrest was in response to the order of Mayor Jonas Cortes to intensify the campaign against violators of the Solid Waste Management Law.

It was the team's first big arrest as far as violation of environmental laws and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 are concerned, Jerusalem said.

Cortes said this will send a strong signal to other people who still don't comply with environmental laws.

Mayor Cortes said reports that the truck is owned by a general services firm in Lapu-Lapu City are being verified.

"Ato kining susihon basin kon adunay mga tawo nga nalambigit niini," Mayor Cortes said.

Jerusalem said at exactly 10:15 a.m. while at the entrance of the road going to the dumpsite he noticed the truck and suspected it was carrying unsegregated garbage. He stopped it and upon inspection confirmed his suspicions.

Upon verification, the driver admitted the garbage came from a softdrink company in city.

Jerusalem issued a citation ticket to the driver for violating Ordinance No. 10/022 as amended by Ordinance No. 10-2006-372 particularly section 1.G prohibiting the disposal of unsegragated garbage.

Violators would be fined P1,000.

Section 1.M of the ordinance prohibits entering into a contract to dispose domestic waste for a fee without authority from the city government. Violation of the ordinance also means a fine of P5,000.

Aside from this, Jerusalem added, he will be filing criminal charges against the two men, the operator of the truck, and the contractor.

He said they are also looking into the liability of the softdrink company.

"I hope this will send a strong signal to other violators that the city means business," he said.

Mayor Jonas Cortes ordered the closure of the Umapad open dumpsite in June 5, 2009 in compliance with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or RA 9003 and hence ordered all barangays to segregate their garbage and come up with a Material Recovery Facility. (THE FREEMAN)