Laoag City exec says LCGH wastes are properly disposed

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff reporter

October 18, 2014

Laoag City—The Laoag City official and department concerned have emphasized that all wastes from the Laoag City General Hospital are properly disposed.

The issue stemmed from a radio report that liquid wastes from the hospital are being dumped in a field behind the building.

The said issue was later taken up by former Laoag mayor Roger C. Fariñas who wrote a letter to provincial environment officer Juan P. delos Reyes.

In his letter, which he wrote as president of consumers’ group Ilocos Norte Consumers Association, Mr. Fariñas said LCGH has no equipment to treat and disinfect liquids wastes from its dialysis machine.

Mr. Fariñas added that he learned from an LCGH employee, whom he did not identify, that waste water is siphoned from the septic tank and then dumped in the rice fields behind the hospital. This, the former mayor said, poses a health risk not only for the environment and the people around the field but also to the rice planted.

Reacting to this, city engineering office head Fred Agpaoa said all wastes from the hospital are properly treated and disposed.

Mr. Agpaoa explained that LCGH has a drainage canal for rain water and not for liquid wastes of the hospital.

He added that LCGH also has its own septic tanks specifically for water wastes and another for the dialysis machine. Both are properly treated with chemicals but when there’s an overflow, declogging is done and the wastes dumped at the sanitary landfill.

Mr. Agpaoa also said that the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources can certify that the hospital is following all the requirements in waste disposal as it also has a water sewerage treatment plant.

Meanwhile, LCGH officer-in-charge Dr. Marsha Wafan denied liquid wastes are being dumped haphazardly.

She said all hospital wastes are properly treated with chemicals.

She added that LCGH complies with proper waste management as she disclosed that LCGH has its own waste septic vault at the sanitary landfill.

Barangay 46 Nalbo chairperson Ruben Roque also confirmed that LCGH has its own drainage canals that drains to Padsan River.

Mr. Roque added that his office has not received any report or complaint from his constituents as to waste water being dumped in rice fields near the hospital.

However, he also said that the best thing to do for now is to personally inspect the rice field where the waste water is supposedly being dumped.

For her part, Laoag mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas said the hospital was issued an Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) which proves that LCGH has complied with all environment and health requirements.