AngMinero
  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Business
No Result
View All Result
AngMinero
  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Business
No Result
View All Result
AngMinero
No Result
View All Result
Home Business

Environmental group to DENR: Discourage COVID-19 waste incineration

AngMinero News by AngMinero News
April 15, 2020
in Business, News
28 0
0
DENR urged to buy helicopters for better monitoring of illegal activities
84
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Non-profit environmental group EcoWaste Coalition is asking the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to cancel the advisory allowing the use of incinerators and crematories on COVID-19 healthcare waste.

The group claims the use of the said methods will have hazardous effects on the environment and are “not aligned” with the environmental laws, specifically Republic Act 8749, or the Clean Air Act, and Presidential Decree 856, or the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines, stated in a letter the group sent to the DENR as reported by Inquirer.

EcoWaste was referring to the advisory Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) issued on March 26.

The group noted that the incinerators for biomedical waste were phased out in 2003, following the Clean Air Act. The phased out incinerators included the “state of the art” incinerators in government hospitals that were found to emit pollutants way above the standards set by the DENR.

The EcoWaste Coalition also highlighted the Department of Health’s (DOH) Health Care Waste Management Manual, stating “incineration used to be the method of choice in treating healthcare waste. However, with the implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1999, the use of this method is no longer allowed.”

“The DOH manual does not make any reference to ‘thermal treatment by incineration’ and ‘the use of crematorium’ for healthcare waste requiring disinfection and treatment,” the group said.

The group also emphasized that crematories as a form of disposal “highly unacceptable as crematories are not designed and constructed to incinerate trash.”

“From our perspective, it will be unlawful to use a crematorium for waste disinfection and treatment as it is not authorized by law to engage in such waste-related activities. Also, allowing such activities will be culturally inappropriate and will be frowned upon as our society does not consider human remains as ‘waste’ and crematories as ‘waste incinerators,’” the group argued.

“It will be culturally insensitive, from our point of view, to cremate people who have succumbed to COVID-19 and other diseases in crematories where trash is incinerated,” it added.

The group also explained that it is “imprudent to even consider the use of crematorium as an option.” Some crematories have not been operating following the government regulations, such as the case of a public crematorium at Manila North Cemetery, which was suspended in 2016 for violations of DENR regulations.

“In the greater interest of public health and safety, we urge the DENR and EMB to recall or revoke the said advisory without delay, and to duly consult and collaborate with the DOH and other stakeholders on matters affecting public health and the environment,” the group said.

 

Tags: denr

Related Posts

SMPC declares PHP1.25 special cash dividend, total 2025 payout at PHP13.8B
Business

SMPC declares PHP1.25 special cash dividend, total 2025 payout at PHP13.8B

October 20, 2025
FNI legal team earns top honors at 2025 ALB Philippine Law Awards
News

FNI legal team earns top honors at 2025 ALB Philippine Law Awards

October 16, 2025
Apex Mining resumes full operations after Davao earthquake suspension
News

Apex Mining resumes full operations after Davao earthquake suspension

October 15, 2025
Davao de Oro halts all mining after 7.4 quake to ensure worker safety
News

Davao de Oro halts all mining after 7.4 quake to ensure worker safety

October 13, 2025
Mining sector pools PHP 3.5M in aid for Masbate after Typhoon Opong
News

Mining sector pools PHP 3.5M in aid for Masbate after Typhoon Opong

October 13, 2025
Apex Mining suspends Davao de Oro operations after 7.4 magnitude quake
News

Apex Mining suspends Davao de Oro operations after 7.4 magnitude quake

October 13, 2025

FEATURED POST

SMPC declares PHP1.25 special cash dividend, total 2025 payout at PHP13.8B

SMPC declares PHP1.25 special cash dividend, total 2025 payout at PHP13.8B

October 20, 2025
FNI legal team earns top honors at 2025 ALB Philippine Law Awards

FNI legal team earns top honors at 2025 ALB Philippine Law Awards

October 16, 2025
Apex Mining resumes full operations after Davao earthquake suspension

Apex Mining resumes full operations after Davao earthquake suspension

October 15, 2025
Davao de Oro halts all mining after 7.4 quake to ensure worker safety

Davao de Oro halts all mining after 7.4 quake to ensure worker safety

October 13, 2025

EDITOR PICK'S

SMPC declares PHP1.25 special cash dividend, total 2025 payout at PHP13.8B

October 20, 2025

FNI legal team earns top honors at 2025 ALB Philippine Law Awards

October 16, 2025

Apex Mining resumes full operations after Davao earthquake suspension

October 15, 2025

Davao de Oro halts all mining after 7.4 quake to ensure worker safety

October 13, 2025

Mining sector pools PHP 3.5M in aid for Masbate after Typhoon Opong

October 13, 2025

Apex Mining suspends Davao de Oro operations after 7.4 magnitude quake

October 13, 2025

Hallmark Mining Corp. vows to protect Mt. Hamiguitan, jobs

October 9, 2025

Recent News

SMPC declares PHP1.25 special cash dividend, total 2025 payout at PHP13.8B

SMPC declares PHP1.25 special cash dividend, total 2025 payout at PHP13.8B

October 20, 2025
FNI legal team earns top honors at 2025 ALB Philippine Law Awards

FNI legal team earns top honors at 2025 ALB Philippine Law Awards

October 16, 2025

Category

  • Business
  • Features
  • News
  • Uncategorized

Follow us

  • Setup menu at Appearance » Menus and assign menu to Footer Navigation

© 2025 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result

© 2025 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In