Puerto Princesa City, Philippines - A city resolution is now under discussion in the Council which would ensure the proper disposal of medical, hazardous, infectious and toxic waste coming from all medical and health facilities and funeral homes in compliance with Republic Act No. 9003 or “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000”.
The resolution which was authored by Councilor Miguel Cuaderno IV noted that with the growing number of medical and health care facilities, it is expected that there is also an increase in the generation of medical and other related waste.
Health care waste generators such as hospitals, infirmaries, birthing homes, clinics, laboratories, drug manufacturers, institutions, mortuary and autopsy centers are mandated to coordinate closely with the authorized personnel of the treatment facility in the collection, transport, storage and treatment of the said medical and health care waste.
The city government entered into a joint venture with the Pollution Abatement Systems Specialists Inc. (PASSI) last year. This is a private owned company based in Cebu that will put up a treatment plant adjacent to the sanitary landfill that will serve as storage, treatment and disposal unit of waste generated from hospitals, other medical facilities and mortuaries.
This treatment facility will be operational soon. The waste materials will be treated in this facility before these are disposed in the landfill.