City to regulate improper disposal of lamps due to dangers of mercury
In a bid to
protect the citizenry from the health hazards caused by mercury, the Iloilo
City Council, last Tuesday’s session, approved the proposed ordinance
regulating the disposal of lamps by individuals and institutions.
The ordinance,
known as “Proper Disposal of Lamp Wastes Containing Mercury Ordinance”,
sponsored by Councilor Jason Gonzales, wants to ensure that proper disposal of
lamp wastes containing mercury is strictly implemented in accordance with
national laws to minimize the hazards to human health and the environment from
exposure to harmful substances.
He cited
Republic Act 6969 or “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control
Act of 1990” which sets the framework for the country’s effort to control and
manage toxic substances and hazardous and nuclear wastes.
He also said
that Section 16 of RA 7160 gives the local government unit the mandate to
ensure this.
Gonzales said
that when these lamps are broken, compacted, crushed or disposed improperly,
mercury is released into the air, water and land, posing significant threat to
people and the environment.
He said that
mercury bioaccumulates, with higher concentrations on tissues of aquatic plants
and animals; and biomagnifies, with higher concentrations in the food chain;
and once in the atmosphere, mercury is disseminated and can circulate for
years.
He narrated an
incident when he saw a group of children crushing lamps with the use of stones.
“I asked them what they were doing and they said they are separating the
plastic from the aluminium so they can sell it. Just imagine that these
children have already inhaled the contaminated air. There must have been 30
bulbs there,” Gonzales said in the dialect.
Meanwhile, Councilor
Ed Penaredondo said it is no wonder that cancer is also a prevalent disease in
the Calajunan dumpsite in Mandurriao.
DISPOSAL
The proposed
ordinance provides that there should be a safe storage area where the lamps are
not easily broken or crushed before they are sent to a disposal facility; if
placed in a container, the container should be labelled to contain lamp wastes
and should be capable of preventing mercury leakage; and when a lamp is removed
and replaced, the used lamp should be packaged and sealed in at least two
plastics before putting it into a disposal unit.
Councilor
Joshua Alim narrated that in Ireland, the homeowners themselves are the ones
bringing their lamp wastes to the designated disposal unit. The iron-clad
container immediately crushes the wastes.
Gonzales said,
so far, the city has no disposal unit.
He narrated
that SM City Iloilo, since there is no disposal unit yet, merely keeps their
used lamps in a secure storage area in the mall.
With this,
Councilor R. Leoni Gerochi suggested that several disposal units be placed
around Iloilo City.
CRUSHING
The ordinance
provides that the crushing of these lamps must be under controlled conditions
and approved by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).
Councilor
Lyndon Acap said that there is a private company in Iloilo City that has a
crusher.
“We can enter
into a memorandum of agreement with them and at no cost to the city. There is
also a buyer (of wastes) from Manila,” he said.
Gonzales agreed
to include the suggestions in the said ordinance.* (Marie Katherine Villalon/TNT Libre, Aug. 22, 2013)