IMEE: HEAVY PENALTIES AWAIT CARELESS PANDEMIC WASTE DISPOSAL

Senator Imee Marcos has urged hospitals, diagnostic centers, and other health facilities to observe the proper disposal of medical waste linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Marcos made the appeal after eight children tested positive for Covid-19 after playing along the seaside of Virac, Catanduanes, where used syringes, face masks, antigen test kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), and vials of blood and urine samples were illegally dumped.

The municipal office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) found that a diagnostic center in Barangay Concepcion in Virac committed numerous violations of waste disposal protocols.

Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, requires local governments down to the barangay level to properly collect, recycle, or dispose of trash, especially hazardous medical waste.

Marcos said that violators could face court cases and heavy penalties, according to the degree of the offense.

"Any person who violates Section 48, paragraphs 14 to 16, shall upon conviction be punished with a fine of not less than 100,000 pesos but not more than one million pesos," Marcos specified.

The senator added that imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years could come with the heavy fines.

Marcos warned the public, especially children, against picking up or playing with medical waste to avoid catching the Covid-19 virus.

Instead, the dumping of life-threatening medical waste should be reported to the authorities, the senator added.

Marcos cited that the DENR collects about 1,000 tons of medical waste from hospitals, laboratories and diagnostic centers each day.

Global analysis of health care waste by the World Health Organization shows that some 87,000 tons of PPE alone were produced and sold worldwide from March 2020 to November last year.

IMEE: PAGTATAPON NG COVID-19 MEDICAL WASTE, MAY MABIGAT NA PARUSA

UMAAPELA si Senador Imee Marcos sa mga health facilities, gaya ng diagnostic centers at hospitals na sundin ang wastong disposal protocols ng mga medical waste na ginagamit sa paglaban sa COVID-19.

Ginawa ni Marcos ang apela matapos magpositibo ang walong kabataang naglaro sa tabing dagat ng Virac, Catanduanes, kung saan iligal na itinapon ang mga nagamit nang hiringilya o syringe, face masks, antigen test kits, lagayan ng dugo at ihi, at PPEs.

Sa report ng Municipal Environment and Natural Resources, nakitaan ng maraming paglabag sa batas ang isang diagnostic center na iligal na nagtapon ng hazardous wastes sa baybayin ng Barangay Concepcion, Virac, Catanduanes.

Sa Republic Act Republic Act 9003 o ang Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, inaatasan ang mga Barangay at LGUs sa wastong pagkolekta, recycling at pagtatapon ng mga basura, lalo na ang mga nakalalason at hazardous medical wastes.

Ang sinumang lumabag dito, ayon kay Marcos ay maaaring makasuhan at mapatawan ng mabigat na parusa depende sa pagkakasala..

"Any person who violates Sec. 48, pars. (14), (15) and (16) shall, upon conviction, be punished with a fine not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00), or imprisonment not less than one (1) year but not more than six (6) years, or both," babala ni Marcos

Binalaan ni Marcos ang publiko, lalo ang mga kabataan na wag pulutin o paglaruan ang mga medical waste upang hindi sila mahawa ng virus.

Giit pa ni Marcos na mas makabubuti anyang ipaalam sa mga otoridad ang iligal na pagtatapon ng mga delikadong basura dahil mapanganib ito sa kalusugan at kapaligiran.

Tinukoy ni Marcos na may 1,000 toneladang medical wastes ang nahahakot ng DENR kada araw mula sa iba't-ibang laboratoryo o diagnostic centers at hospitals.

Sa WHO Global analysis of health care waste ng COVID-19, tinatayang nasa 87,000 tonnes ng personal protective equipment (PPE) ang naproduce at naibenta sa buong mundo mula March 2020 hanggang November 2021.