Bauko movers to curtail pesticide, fertilizer waste; firms banned from selling

BAUKO, Mountain Province -- Local officials moved to curtail improper disposal of pesticides and fertilizers containers in this vegetable-producing town and banned firms or suppliers that did not sign a memorandum of agreement to lessen pesticide waste in this town. 

Mayor Abraham Akilit has inked a MOA with  Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority,  representatives of 22 barangays  and Pesticide and Fertilizer companies   supplying pesticides and fertilizers in this municipality for proper disposal of pesticides and fertilizers containers.

Waste analysis and characterization study conducted   showed Bauko is producing 300 kilograms of special wastes per day.

Contributory to this volume are toxic wastes of pesticides and chemical fertilizer containers which are left unattended.

For proper disposal of the toxic wastes of pesticides and fertilizers containers, all parties in the MOA mutually agreed on the following terms and conditions:

The local government shall issue an executive order on prompt and strict implementation of Republic Act  9003  (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000), RA 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990) on  collection of pesticide and fertilizer containers for sustainable solid waste management in the municipality.

The MOA mandated all barangays in the collection of pesticide and fertilizer containers and bring these to collection centers where the garbage bins are situated;

It will also impose fines to offenders, cancel or refuse renewal of business permit of local dealer/supplier who continuously refuse to provide appropriate trash bins with cover for walk-in clients, ban the sale of products of non-compliant suppliers at least after three warnings, and enforce the provision of trash bins by pesticide and fertilizer suppliers set up in a designated area agreed with the barangay officials.

Barangay government units shall designate barangay collection center for temporary storage of pesticide and chemical fertilizer containers for regular retrieval by pesticide and fertilizer companies. 

They will also mandate pesticide users on the minimum of “triple rinse” of pesticide containers before bringing these to collection center, among others.

For its part, the FPA shall update co-signees on FPA matters, mediate conflicts among stakeholders, assist local government and concution information drive on fertilizers and pesticides issues and facilitate continuing education on the proper use and disposal of toxic waste from containers.

The FPA was represented in the MOA by its executive director Wilfredo C. Roldan.

Based on the MOA, there were 30 pesticide and fertilizer companies listed but only 21 signed.

Dr. Natividad T. Orprecio of the provincial DOH office said according to Akilit,  pesticide and fertilizer companies that did not sign are banned from selling their products in the entire municipality. -- PIA Mountain  Province