DAVAO CITY – There is more to do for the proper implementation of the executive order (EO) instituting the proper handling and disposal of used cooking oil in Davao City after a local official bared that majority of the food establishments here are still unaware of the law which classifies used cooking oil as a “hazardous waste”.
On December 15 last year, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte signed EO 32 series of 2015, an order instituting the proper storage, treatment, transport, export, processing, re-processing, recycling and disposal of used cooking oil in Davao City.
Assistant City Administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo said “90 percent of business establishments which produce used cooking oil are not following the law.”
“The law has been implemented as far back as 2013. Ever since, the used cooking oil has been classified as a hazardous substance. The implementation is really limited,” said Domingo in the weekly I-speak forum Thursday.
Domingo said “even the DENR [Department of the Environment and Natural Resources] admits this fact.”
Domingo based his observation on their initial survey where they found out that business establishments in the city are not fully aware that there is such law.
“That they are to properly dispose this through licensed individuals or companies who have permits to transport and permits to dispose or to process this,” he said.
He said the city is taking it step by step to encourage every one to cooperate in properly disposing used cooking oil.
The EO orders the public, including households, vendors, private, commercial or business establishment to “strictly comply with the requirements of Republic Act 6969, DENR Administrative Order 2013-22 and other applicable laws, rules, and regulations and issuances.”
The DENR AO 2013-22 has the subject: “Revised procedures and standards for the management of hazardous wastes”. It was released to strengthen the implementation of RA 6969, also known as “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990”.
Under chapter 2 of the AO, used oil was classified as hazardous waste. It includes “used industrial oil, including sludge; vegetable oil, including sludge; tallow; and oil-contaminated material.”
In section 2 of the local government’s EO, the city government is directed to collect from all the persons, households, vendors, privates, commercial or business establishments with used cooking oil.
Meanwhile, the City Environment and Natural Resources (Cenro) was identified as the lead implementing agency to institute steps to ensure the proper storage, treatment, transport, export, processing , reprocessing, recycling and disposal of used cooking oil.
Violation of the law can be a ground for suspension and/or cancellation of the business or mayor’s permit of a business establishment.
Last year, Davao City became the recipient of the biodiesel project from the Japan International Cooperation Agency that will make use of used cooking oil and turn it to fuel.
Domingo said they are already in the stage of finalizing the details for the collection process of the used cooking oil to start.
The city has initially identified 13 barangays and business establishments, including hotels and malls who will participate in the testing of the project. The used oil collected will be converted into fuel to be used in the city’s dump trucks and other vehicles.
“Hopefully, some time at the end of the week or early next week we will be starting the collection process,” said Domingo. (With a report from Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
