WANTING to fully address the dangers posed by Covid-19 -related health care wastes, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is eyeing a P181.6-million allocation for the establishment of a preliminary treatment and storage facility in every local government unit for medical and healthcare wastes.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the amount will be sourced from their P774-million solid waste management program budget for 2022.
Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and LGUs Concerns Benny D. Antiporda said the proposed treatment and storage facility will serve as a temporary and transit point for COVID-19 related healthcare wastes such as personal protective equipment, syringes, needles, and vials and others.
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) will be the lead office as the DENR plans to provide fund for 227 local government units (LGUs) nationwide representing 81 provinces and 146 cities.
The proposed P181.6 million budget will be coursed through the DENR regional offices. Each LGU will receive P800 thousand for the establishment of special waste facilities.
The amount will be used for the proper collection, treatment, storage and disposal of protective personal equipment, syringes, vials and other COVID-related healthcare wastes from households, vaccination sites, and testing and quarantine facilities.
Cimatu said the plan will help address the increase in COVID-19-related healthcare wastes in the country during the pandemic.
"While COVID-19 cases in the country have started to decline, healthcare wastes generated by the situation have continuously become a challenge among cities and provinces,” Cimatu said.
“Through this program, we hope to support LGUs in improving the collection of COVID-19 related healthcare wastes especially in remote areas and among small generators that are not serviced by treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities," he added.
The proposed waste management program was announced by Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change chair Senator Cynthia Villar, who sponsored the DENR budget during the upper chamber’s plenary session on November 15.
The proposal was developed by the DENR based on the recommendation of Villar and Senator Francis Tolentino during the Senate budget hearing last month to extend more assistance to LGUs for the management of COVID-related healthcare wastes.
Tags: #DENR, #Sec.Cimatu, #wastemanagement, #Covid-19