DENR TOP BRASS. Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Central Visayas Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales (middle) and Enviromental Management Bureau-7 chief William Cuñado (second from left) graced the Kapihan sa PIA-Cebu forum in this photo last week. (Photo by Luel Galarpe)
CEBU CITY -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) is set to inspect the waste management and treatment facilities of all resorts, hotels, and malls in the region.
Environment Regional Executive Director (RED) Gilbert Gonzales, in a statement sent to the Philippine News Agency late Wednesday afternoon, said he has instructed the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) to conduct a stringent inspection and monitoring of waste treatment facilities of said establishments.
Gonzales issued the directive following the illegal disposal of untreated medical wastes on the seawaters of Lapu-Lapu City.
“We have been strongly rallying to the call of DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu to fully enforce environmental laws,” said Gonzales.
“This year, we will begin by conducting a strict monitoring of waste management systems of large establishments in the region to make sure that major waste generators are handling their wastes responsibly,” he added.
EMB-7 Regional Director William Cuñado, for his part, said his agency will carry out the order of Gonzales and penalize those establishments found violating existing environmental laws, rules and regulations, such as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004
“In compliance with the instruction of RED Gonzales, we will create composite teams from DENR field offices and EMB to conduct the inspection and compliance of hotels, resorts and malls,” said Cuñado.
Cuñado said they will also be sending notices of violations to establishments not following the conditions stipulated in the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and will temporarily stop their operations for non-compliance.
“The purpose of ECC is to ensure that development will not come at the expense of our environment. ECC conditions issued to establishments need to be strictly followed and executed,” he added.
Meanwhile, the EMB-7 has scheduled a technical conference with the management of the manufacturing plant that was caught on video discharging red-colored wastewater directly to the sea in Talisay City, which went viral on social media recently.
Cuñado said the technical conference with the management of Gbox Corrugated Packaging will be held Friday.
After the EMB-7 has verified that the wastewater poses immediate threat to life, public health and safety, Cuñado said they immediately directed Gbox to stop discharging hazardous waste to the sea and issued an interim Cease and Desist Order against the establishment.
Initial water sampling also showed that the wastewater pumped out to the sea did not meet the effluent standards as stipulated in the DENR Administrative Order (DAO) 2016-08.
Based on EMB-7 records, Gbox was operating without valid Discharge Permit, Permit to Operate, and Hazardous Waste Generator Registration, violating environmental laws such as the Philippine Clean Air Act, Philippine Clean Water Act, and Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990. (PNA)
