DENR, REC to bring service providers to W. Visayas to collect toxic wastes
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Regional Ecological Center (REC) will bring to Western Visayas service providers from Luzon that could help treat toxic and hazardous wastes.
This was announced by DENR regional executive director Lormelyn Claudio during the first day of the two-day regional ecological summit that kicked off Wednesday at the Punta Villa Resort in Arevalo district.
Claudio said toxic and hazardous wastes and health care wastes mixed with ordinary garbage is a problem.
She added that surface and ground waters are "already contaminated with some heavy metals and some other pollutants because of the leachate coming from dumps" usually situated along water bodies.
Claudio did not identify the service providers but she mentioned that they collect lead acid batteries, cathode ray tubes of computers and televisions and fluorescent lamps.
"Through the regional ecology center, we will invite them to help us collect these toxic and hazardous wastes," she added.
Meantime the material recovery facilities built in rural areas and elsewhere in the region should be utilized as storage area for toxic and hazardous wastes, Claudio said.
At least once a month, the providers will be invited during the monthly waste market week event of SM City to collect said toxic materials.
The official meanwhile called for active participation in solid waste management as it has been over seven years since the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or the Republic Act 9003 was passed.
"We need to be more active here and if we need to be more radical we have to do it because solid waste management is everybody's problems. All of us are generators of wastes so all of us should help solve this problem," she said. (PNA)