The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) is reminding establishments to update their solid waste management plans and programs to avoid penalties or cancellation of their business permits as part of the renewal requirements.
An establishment in the city must have a solid waste management strategy to obtain a solid waste management certificate from the CENRO.
Orly Limpangog of the CENRO’s Environmental Waste Management Division’s Information Education Campaign Unit said business establishments should have a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in accordance with City Ordinance No. 0361-10, also known as the Davao City Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of 2009, and its amendment, City Ordinance No. 0987-22.
“Madagko, magagmay nga mga business establishment (dapat) compliant siya. Mao na ang isa sa requirement nato (Businesses, be it small or big, should comply. That’s one of our requirements),” he said in an interview with the city-owned Davao City Disaster Radio.
Limpangog said they will soon inspect private establishments, such as supermarkets, food markets, poultry farms, slaughterhouses, and condominiums and subdivisions.
He also said solid trash should be sorted and held in the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) before being sold or composted. These facilities are necessary for the sorting, recycling, and composting of solid waste in private enterprises.
“Gikan sa papel, plastic, karton, mga PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles nga pwede nato mabaligya sa mga local recyclers nato (From paper, plastic, cardboard, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles that we can sell to our local recyclers),” he said.
He said establishments that have not complied with the requirements can still renew their business permits but will not be issued the stickers certifying that they have updated their solid waste management plans and programs.
MRFs and buy-back center operators are prohibited from placing or disposing of their waste along the sidewalk, as stated in Section 16 of City Ordinance No. 0987-22. They must also keep their facilities clean and orderly, store their recyclable waste products safely, and control foul odor. To stop rainwater from being collected inside the recyclable materials, the MRFs should have a roof.
According to the City Ordinance, operating without a Solid Waste Management Certificate and failing to implement the Solid Waste Management Plan and Program can result in a fine of at least P4,000 but not more than P5,000, as well as, at the court’s discretion, a minimum of one month and a maximum of six months in jail.
In addition to the fine, the city mayor has the authority to suspend or cancel the business permit of establishments that violate the law four times or more. The violations include removing mobile garbage bins from designated collection points, burning solid waste in the open, and failing to separate solid waste.
Limpangog said they aim to start inspections in April. CIO
