Body to monitor disposal of hazardous waste pushed

CEBU, Philippines - A separate management board to govern and regulate the disposal of hospital and other hazardous waste is being pushed in Cebu City.

Cebu City Solid Waste Management Board Presiding Officer Janeses “Jade” Ponce said he has brought the matter up during the SWMB’s meeting last Wednesday and is now being studied.

He said no one has really paid close attention to the disposal of hospital and other hazardous wastes, which is supposed to be handled by a separate body. The common notion is that such responsibility is within the scope of SWMB.

He explained that SWMB was created by virtue of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. On the other hand, the control and disposal of toxic substances and hazardous wastes is governed by a different law, which is Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990.

Ponce said the need for a separate body to focus on the monitoring of proper disposal of toxic substances has become urgent owing to the increasing number of laboratories operating in the city.

Ponce said these hospitals, health centers, laboratories and funeral homes discharge at least a ton of toxic wastes everyday but SWMB reportedly has no idea where the wastes are being taken.

He said that a separate managing body for hazardous wastes can be created through an executive order.

The body, which he said can be called the Medical and Biohazards Waste Management Board, will have the same structure as the current SWMB only that it will have representatives from hospitals, laboratories and funeral homes.

It will monitor the disposal of hazardous wastes of hospitals, laboratories, funeral homes and the likes and create policy that will ensure these toxic wastes could not harm the public.

Under RA 6969, disposal of hazardous wastes is way different from disposal of ordinary ecological waste.  (FREEMAN)