Bulacan execs mull total ban on chemical treatment plants

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY, Bulacan ,Philippines  – Environment and local officials here are considering a total ban on chemical treatment facilities in the province.

This, following the closure of a plant of Cleveland Envirotech Solutions Inc., (CESI) and a warehouse of Cleveland Industries (CI), both located at Barangay Tungkong Mangga here Thursday, which were found not complying with environmental regulations and causing pollution.

CESI is a toxic and hazardous waste treatment plant accredited by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Central Luzon and CI its sister company.

“I think we should not allow them to do business in Bulacan,” Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado said, adding that similar business establishments do not contribute to the overall economic development of the province.

Alvarado said EMB is evaluating the operations of other chemical treatment plants in the province.

Mayor Rey San Pedro of this city said that EMB’s suspension of CESI’s Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) is enough basis for the revocation of the plant’s business permit.

San Pedro said the city’s legal office is still studying the possibility of revoking the business permit of CESI, which started operating in 2003.

CESI and CI were tasked to submit their cleanup and re-mediation plans for both facilities.

EMB director for Central Luzon Lormelyn Claudio said local government officials have the power to stop operations of erring business establishments.

Claudio added that it was not the first time that a cease and desist order was issued against a chemical treatment plant in Bulacan. She said the operations of Enviro-Means Industry Inc., (EMII) in Barangay Sipat, Plaridel town and Barangay Patubig in Marilao town were also stopped in 2002.

Like CESI and CI, the shutdown of EMII was in response to complaints of local residents.

But in the case of CESI, Claudio said they also have a video footage taken last May 28 which confirmed that the company discharged drums of suspected hazardous wastes into a drain canal that flows into a nearby creek. 

Claudio also said that there are at least 30 toxic and hazardous wastes treatment plants in Central Luzon and at least 10 of them are operating in Bulacan.