Pampanga LGU has power to shut down erring smelting plants, says DENR

It is up to the mayor of San Simon, Pampanga, to take the appropriate action, including the issuance of a closure order, against smelting plants found to be violating the law, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB). 

The DENR-EMB identified the erring companies as Global Aseana, Ecoseal Matallic Manufacturing Corporation, Chilwee Metallic Manufacturing Corporation, and Dongjin Lonvegivity Industry Corporation. 

All four companies were found to have been processing Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULAB) without permit and discharging untreated wastewater into the river that traverses San Simon, Pampanga. They are required by law to treat wastewater containing the toxic materials after the lead has been extracted from the used batteries. 

In a letter sent to Vittorio Vitug, president of the Capampangan in Media Inc. (CAMI), DENR- EMB Region 3 Director Martin Jose Despi said his agency has already informed San Simon Mayor Ryan Viray of the violations committed by the firms in his area of jurisdiction. 

Despi had been invited to attend CAMI’s regular forum and answer queries on reports of water and air pollution caused by illegal smelting operations, particularly on that portion of the river in Barangay Dela Paz, San Simon. 

In that letter, Despi informed CAMI that the local DENR-EMB bureau had already issued in February a notice of violation against the four firms for operating without a registration certificate after a technical team conducted an inspection the previous month. 

Despi pointed out that the power to shut down the firms is vested on the concerned LGU. The previous month, Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza, president of the Federation of Philippine Industries, Inc., called for the closure of lead smelting operations, which are allegedly discharging toxic materials into the river, resulting in fish kills downstream. He feared the water and air pollution would affect the health of residents living along the riverbanks. 

Arranza made the call when he attended a recent CAMI forum as guest speaker. The firms were found to be operating without adequate facility and equipment in the handling of acid and other toxic materials, among other violations. CAMI