Probe on toxic waste dumping continues

Probe on toxic waste dumping continues

BY: JOEL P. MAPILES









CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- Fourth District Board Member Ricardo Yabut and the Sangguniang Bayan of Porac headed by Vice Mayor Dexter David said they would conduct separate investigations on the veracity of the report that toxic and hazardous wastes from public and private hospitals from Metro Manila are being dumped by quarry truckers in several quarry and idle areas in Pampanga.

With this, Yabut asked the Environment Office (ENRO) of the provincial government to instruct quarry checkers, particularly those assigned along Sto. Domingo-Quezon Road, to inspect not only the quarry trucks going out the province but also those that are coming in.

This came in the heels of reports that toxic waste are being indiscriminately and secretly being dumped in areas where there are quarry operations.

It can be recalled that the ENRO report has been corroborated by Sonny Dobles, officer of Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL) claiming that there are a number of quarry trucks with backloads coming from Metro Manila reportedly dumping toxic waste in Barangay Manuali in Porac town.

Porac Vice Mayor David said he will initiate an investigation in the Sangguniang Bayan to verify the alleged report.

The vice mayor admitted that the dumping site in Barangay Manuali is illegal and worse, is if this is also being used as dumping site for toxic waste from Metro Manila.

“I will still check on the issue and monitor if such report is true,” David said.

Arthur Punsalan, newly designated ENRO officer, said they would bring the issue of illegal dumping of toxic waste in the province before the Provincial Development Council.

However, Punsalan said they would continue the survey, inspection and investigation of the said report including illegal open and controlled dump sites in the province.
Punzalan added that they are also looking on the current situation of all barangays and municipalities as far as solid waste disposal is concerned.
The ENRO has also included in their inspection the toxic and hospital waste disposal system of all public and private hospitals in the province.