Sorsogon hospitals hazardous to health
By MAR S. ARGUELLES
SORSOGON CITY --- Most of the hospitals operating in the province are not compliant with the salient provisions of RA 6969 otherwise known as “The Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990,” the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) said.
Engr. Leonisa Madeloso, EMB specialist, said most of the eight hospitals in the province are without waste water discharge permits, some without having solid waste management systems and that most of the mercurial wastes from busted fluorescent lamps are not safely disposed, together with shards and other hospital wastes.
She said her agency had already issued notices of violation and that they have dialogued with the responsible personnel on how these wastes should be managed so as not to jeopardize the environment and create another public health problem.
Madeloso, said that based on their monitoring, evaluation and assessment, eight hospitals in the province are not complying with the guidelines provided in RA 6969 in the proper disposal of hospital and hazardous wastes.
According to Madeloso, they have checked and evaluated one public and one private tertiary hospital; four secondary private and two secondary public hospitals and found out that they were not complying with guidelines provided for by RA 6969 in the proper disposal of hospital and hazardous wastes. These hospitals used only chlorine and Lysol as the standard chemicals for disenfecting hospital wastes.
The findings also indicate that no waste disposal signages are conspicuously placed in the hospital premises.
Madeloso recommended that proper signage should be placed on what kind of waste are these especially regarding shards and syringes that were simply kept inside plastic containers and not properly labeled.
“She also reported that some hospitals do not have Pollution Control Officers (PCOs) and if there are any, they were found to be not properly trained and therefore should undergo training.
She urged local chief executives and members of the Sorsogon Provincial Solid Waste Management Board (PSWMB) to inform the concerned provincial government to take action on the EMB findings.
The PSWMB agreed to address the various issues and concerns on the proper treatment, management and disposal of hospital wastes in the province by organizing a Provincial Monitoring Team task force to see that RA6969 is accordingly implemented and enforced.
The board will also coordinate with the hospitals for their strict compliance of the provisions called for by RA 6969.
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