MANILA, Philippines — Non-profit environmental group EcoWaste Coalition is calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to revoke an advisory that allows the use of incinerators and crematories on COVID-19 healthcare waste. ADVERTISEMENTThe EcoWaste is referring to the March 26 advisory of the EMB on “alternative modes for the disposal of pathological and infectious COVID-19 healthcare waste,” which allows the said methods. The group pointed out the phasing-out of incinerators for biomedical waste back in 2003 in line with the Clean Air Act, including the “state of the art” incinerators in government hospitals that were subsequently found to emit pollutants, such as dioxins, way above the standards set by the DENR. EcoWaste Coalition also cited the Health Care Waste Management Manual published by the Department of Health (DOH), which states: “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.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer April 14, 2020 03:56 UTC