Mandaue starts disposing of drums of hazardous waste

Local

THE Mandaue City Government has started hauling 301 drums of medical and hazardous waste from the old North Bus Terminal, ending months of inaction that left infectious materials stored near fire-displaced families.

The retrieval operation began Wednesday, July 9, earlier than expected, with Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano personally inspecting the site.

Ouano initially anticipated that the hauling would start on July 12, but said he was thankful that city departments acted quickly to resolve the issue.

“Pila lang ka adlaw human atong nakita ang hazardous wastes nga natanggong ug usa ka tuig sa Cebu North Bus Terminal, nibalik ta karong adlawa para personal nga mu witness sa pag pull-out sa mga basura," he said.

Ouano first uncovered the waste problem during a visit to the Mandaue City Hospital shortly after taking office.

He noticed over a hundred yellow biohazard bags that had not been retrieved and later learned that some had already been transferred to the terminal after the hospital’s storage facility exceeded capacity.

The waste, including used syringes, bloodied bandages, and chemical containers, was moved to the terminal in October 2024.

According to the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), it consisted of 292 drums of infectious waste and nine drums of hazardous waste.

About half came from the city hospital, while the rest were generated by barangay health centers, the City Health Office, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Office.

Cenro facilitated the transfer to help the hospital comply with Department of Health guidelines.

However, the stockpile remained untouched for several months due to the closure of the city’s previous waste hauler, Pollution Abatement Systems Specialists, Inc., and the delay in securing permits for the new hauler, Cleanaway Environmental Management Solutions Inc.

With the necessary permits now granted, Cleanaway has begun clearing the site and is expected to complete the hauling within the week.

City officials had earlier raised concerns about health and safety, especially as around 40 families from fire-hit Barangay Looc were staying in makeshift shelters near the waste drums.

Temporary barriers and security personnel were deployed to minimize health risks.

Meanwhile, 15 lampposts were taken down at the Mandaue City Heritage Plaza after one toppled over when a student grabbed it on July 1, raising fears over the safety of the newly installed structures.

The incident, caught on CCTV, showed the student tugging on one of the decorative posts surrounding the iconic clock tower before it gave way.

Ouano immediately ordered an inspection of the remaining lampposts and tasked the contractor to repair the damaged one.

Ouano said he will review the contract to check if the installations remain under warranty and whether repairs or replacements will be done using the same materials.(MyTVCebu)