DENR padlocks Bulacan waste treatment firm for pollution

CITY OF SAN Jose del Monte— Environment officials on Thursday closed a waste treatment facility in Barangay Tungkong Mangga here due to violations of environmental laws.

Lormelyn Claudio, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) director in Central Luzon, issued a cease and desist order (CDO) against the operations of Cleveland Envirotech Solutions Inc. and its sister company, Skyline, after investigations showed the firms disposed of toxic and hazardous wastes into a creek in Barangay Maharlika. The firms treat industrial and hospital wastes from Metro Manila and Southern Luzon.

The EMB cited Cleveland and Skyline for violations of the provisions of Republic Act No. 8749 (Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999),  RA 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990), RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) and RA 9275 (Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004).

Feliciano Zulueta, operations manager of Cleveland, accepted and signed the closure order served by Claudio and other environment officials.

Gwen Agua, the person in charge of engineering of Skyline, also acknowledged receipt of the order.

Zulueta and Agua said their plants will comply with the law and promised to follow proper waste disposal and discharge.

The EMB said Cleveland has been disposing of toxic and hazardous wastes into a drainage system that empties into a creek in Barangay Maharlika. Residents have also complained of heavy air and water pollution in the village that they attributed to the firm’s operations.