BAUKO, Mountain Province, July 31(PIA) — Local officials and residents are hopeful there will be no more improper disposal of pesticide and fertilizer containers in this vegetable producing town.
This after the municipal government unit represented by Mayor Abraham Akilit, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA), the 22 barangays and representatives of pesticide and fertilizer companies and other sources supplying pesticides and fertilizers in this municipality recently entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the proper disposal of pesticide and fertilizer containers.
A Waste Analysis and Characterization Study conducted showed that Bauko LGU along is producing 300 kilograms of special wastes per day, which is intolerable. Contributory to this volume of wastes are the toxic wastes of pesticide and chemical fertilizer containers which are left unattended.
For the proper disposal of pesticides and fertilizers containers, all parties in the MOA mutually agreed on the following terms and conditions:
The MLGU here shall issue an executive order on the prompt and strict implementation of RA 9003 – The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, RA 6969 – The Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990, among others, specifically the collection of pesticide and fertilizer containers for a sustainable solid waste management in the municipality; mandate all barangays to collect pesticide and fertilizer containers and bring these to the assigned collection center where garbage bins are situated;
It will also impose fines to offenders, cancel or refuse renewal of business permits of local dealers/suppliers who continuously refuse to provide appropriate trash bins with cover for walk-in clients, ban the sale of products of non-compliant suppliers at least after three warnings, and enforce the provision of trash bins by pesticide and fertilizer suppliers set up in a designated area agreed to with the barangay officials.
The barangay LGUs shall designate barangay collection centers for the temporary storage of pesticide and chemical fertilizer containers for regular retrieval by pesticide and fertilizer companies. They will also mandate pesticide users to “Triple rinse” pesticide containers before bringing these to the collection center, among others.
For its part, the FPA shall update the MLGU on FPA matters, mediate conflicts among the stakeholders, assist MLGU in the IEC on fertilizer and pesticide issues, and facilitate continuing education on the proper use and disposal of toxic wastes from containers.
FPA was represented in the MOA by its executive director, Wilfredo C. Roldan.
Pesticide and fertilizer companies shall retrieve regularly from the barangay collection stations the pesticide and chemical fertilizer containers for proper disposal, and provide enough trash bins to all barangays in this municipality for the collection of these. Moreover, they conduct regular training relative to the proper use, handling and disposal of toxic garbage.
Based on the signed MOA, there were 30 pesticide and fertilizer companies listed but only 21 signed.
Dr. Natividad T. Orprecio of the Provincial DOH Office informed that according to Akilit, those pesticide and fertilizer companies that did not sign are banned from selling their products in the entire municipality. **PIA Mountain Province
