DENR fines laundry firm P1M for pollution

A laundry firm has beem fined a hefty P1.03 million for failing to comply with water quality standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Laguna Lake Development Authority general manager Joaquin Mendoza explained that the fine on Evergreen Fashion and Garments International is based on the mandated penalty of P1,000 per day of operation starting from the date of inspection.

The LLDA conducted its first inspection of the firm on Feb. 5, 1997 which found that Evergreen was discharging pollutive waste. Evergreen was ordered to stop the pollutive discharge, particularly the high level of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and color of the water.

BOD, the standard measure of water quality, refers to the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria in the process of decomposition of organic matter. The greater the oxygen demand, the more polluted the body of water.

Emil Baligod, legal counsel of Evergreen, said that they have filed a motion for reconsideration on the closure order. He disputed the claim of the LLDA that the latest inspection on September 1999 showed the quality of the water was still at pollutive levels.

Baligod explained that their own tests proved that the pollution level of the discharged water had been improving from the period of August to November 1999.

He admitted though that the firm's facility was not capable of totally preventing the pollutive discharge. --