EMB-7: Sibonga waste not from hospital

CEBU, Philippines — A team from the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas declared that the suspected hospital wastes found floating in the seawaters off Barangay Bagacay in Sibonga town were just household wastes.

The EMB-7 sent a team of investigators to Sibonga after the municipal government reported the alleged infectious wastes believed to be part of those found in Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City.

 The team was assisted by Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Sibonga, Miguelito Paller. They examined the wastes which were kept at the barangay hall of Bagacay.

The wastes include used syringe, plastic food container, empty liniment bottle, pharmaceutical bottle, and empty amber bottles. These were allegedly fished out by the residents from the seawaters on Wednesday morning. Syringes, pharmaceutical and amber bottles are commonly used in hospitals.

However, the EMB-7 team said these were just medicinal items used in the household. According to EMB-7, the syringe and needle found along with the other wastes could have been used for household purposes only and not necessarily coming from the hospital.

Other wastes found are medicine blister packs, empty perfume bottle, marker pens, and eye mascara container.

The EMB-7 has advised the barangay officials of Bagacay to bring the recovered wastes to its material recovery facility for proper disposal.

  EMB-7 Director William Cuñado reminded the public to dispose of their wastes properly.

“We have always been reminding the public about this to always throw garbage properly. We also ask you all to take this matter seriously,” Cuñado said in a statement. — FPL (FREEMAN)