2 Chinese nabbed over unlicensed lead recycling plant

SAN SIMON, Pampanga—Two Chinese operating a lead-smelting plant in Jaen, Nueva Ecija, without government permit were arrested on Monday by a Department of Environment and Natural Resources task force as it validated complaints seeking the closure of four other lead-recycling companies in Pampanga and Bulacan.

Jiajia Chen and Chen Tian Xi were seen working in a compound in Barangay Sapang in Jaen that stored stacks of spent batteries imported from China and Korea, according to Samuel Carpio, head of the task force sent by Ernesto Adobo Jr., DENR undersecretary for field operations.

The two Chinese had been turned over to the police.

Batteries are laced with 25 percent lead acid and are recyclable, according to the Philippine Association of Battery Manufacturers (Pabma).

The inspections were part of the “Bantay Baterya” campaign by Pabma to enforce environmentally safe technology in lead recycling.

Informal operators corner 25 to 40 percent of recyclable lead, but their processes are not clean, said a Pabma official.

Lead is used to assemble battery plates. The DENR task force is checking reports that the Department of National Defense is among the buyers of lead from one of the non-compliant companies.

Lormelyn Claudio, Central Luzon director of the Environmental Management Bureau, ordered on Aug. 15 the closure of the Jaen plant and the plants operated by Oceanic Fishing Gear in Meycauayan, Bulacan.

Claudio also closed Solid Lead Industrial Corp., Power Point Battery Corp. and Asia Pacific Corp., all in San Simon, Pampanga. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon