Environment bureau orders Bataan town, private contractor to explain landfill mess

After Mayor Jopet Inton of Hermosa town here ordered the closure of the town’s landfill 7 months ago, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) ordered the local government to also explain the violations of which it accused its private contractor.

The EMB’s central office on Thursday gave the municipality and the contractor Econest Waste Management 15 days to explain in writing the violations noted by an EMB team that inspected the Hermosa Sanitary Landfill Facility in Barangay Mambog on August 3.

EMB director William Cuñado issued a notice of violation dated September 24 to both Econest and the local government of Hermosa.

As the government partner in the operation of the landfill, the municipality of Hermosa should also be held responsible if its accusations against Econest turn out to be valid, the EMB said.

On February 20, Inton padlocked the entrance to the landfill over alleged environmental violations committed by Econest, the private operator.

The EMB regional office in Central Luzon denied the local government’s request to revoke the project’s environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and blacklist Econest. EMB Central Luzon said only a few documents required for an ECC were lacking.

The Hermosa government then moved for the inhibition of EMB regional director Wilson Tajeco, and elevated the matter to the bureau’s head office. 

On August 3, the EMB inspected the landfill and found electronic and biomedical waste consisting mostly of vials containing fresh blood and urine samples – nearly 6 months since Econest’s eviction.

Despite the notice of violation from the EMB central office, Econest said the proceedings were still underway, and the bureau had yet to give its final word on the controversy. – Rappler.com