50 companies face closure for environmental violations

Fifty industrial companies in Pasig City face closure for violating environmental regulations, the city government warned yesterday.

Raquel Naciongayo, chief of the Pasig City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), said companies were placed on their watch list after they still refused to install "air abatement facilities" or anti-air pollution systems in their facilities.

The CENRO has earlier ordered all industrial companies in Pasig to install anti-pollution systems. But even with this requirement, the 50 industrial companies still failed to comply with the order, Naciongayo said. "Before the end of the year, if they do not comply, we are forced to serve the closure order."

Naciongayo said they discovered that the 50 companies did not comply with environmental standards during an inspection last August. They will make another inspection in December.

The city government also requires restaurants, gasoline stations and service shops to have a waste water treatment facility. Fastfood stores and restaurants are required to put up a "grease track separator."

Early this year, local authorities issued a temporary closure order to a chocolate factory owned by Universal Robina Corp. in Barangay Bagong Ilog after they failed to follow the CENRO’s order.

The facility later went back to operation after the company complied with the requirements. Authorites ordered the closure after residents in the area complained of a foul odor in the area. – Sandy Araneta