PORAC, Pampanga – The Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) of Primes Waste Solutions Pampanga, Inc., the Materials Recovery Facility in Barangay Planas, allows the entry of hazardous wastes including pathological or infectious wastes.
The ECC approved by DENR R3 Regional Director Martin Jose Despi, indicates that Prime Waste is allowed to operate one landfill cell for treated hazardous wastes such as miscellaneous wastes (pathological or infectious wastes) and stabilized waste (solidified wastes, chemically fixed and polymerize wastes, and encapsulated wastes).
Infectious wastes include medical or clinical waste, materials that can transmit infectious diseases to residents in Porac town and nearby towns such as Floridablanca.
Among the infectious wastes are blood and blood products, used needles, syringes, scalpels, cultures and stocks of infectious agents; and pathological wastes such as tissues and organs. These are wastes that has the potential to carry pathogens and pose a risk of infection to residents.
The ECC released in August 2024, has also allowed Prime Waste to operate five landfill cells with total capacity of 450,000 tons. Each cell will have a 15,000 square meter area.
The ECC further states “it covers the sanitary landfill project for residuals and treated hazardous wastes handling capacity of 3,000 tons per day in an area of 100,000 square meters.”
Some 5,000 residents of Barangay Planas had been complaining of the potential health hazards posed that may affect them calling for the closure of Prime Waste.
All garbage haulers coming as far as Pangasinan province, are passing through Purok 1, of Barangay Planas.
Village chief of Barangay Babo Sacan, Pio, and Planas, host to the Prime Waste MRF, had been strictly monitoring the entry of garbage trucks. Barangay Calantas, in Floridablanca was also monitoring the movement of garbage trucks.
This amid the wanton disregard of garbage haulers to the environment and health of residents as the drivers drain their trucks of foul-smelling garbage juice.
Floridablanca Councilor Arnold Dimla, said the Sangguniang Bayan will “revisit their Environmental Code” to regulate entry of garbage trucks and to stop them from releasing liquid waste on the roadside.
Meanwhile, indignant residents said they are contemplating to file charges against Despi before the Ombudsman for issuing an ECC for a landfill in Porac to the detriment of residents.
Despi was reportedly recently suspended from his post for allegedly failing to act on environmental violations committed by poultry operators in Palompon and Albuera, both in Leyte.
Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez had delved on the violations of land use and environmental management laws in the municipalities of Palompon and Albuera which were reportedly affected by extensive pollution of the water, soil, and air.
Gomez has then condemned the apparent complicity between government officials and the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in the operations of private businesses in Leyte’s fourth district.