CDO’s plant closed for ECC violations
Credit to Author: EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ| Date: Wed, 02 Oct 2019 17:33:48 +0000
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has stopped the operations of a manufacturing plant of meat processing giant CDO Foodsphere Inc. in Malvar, Batangas because of violation of the terms of its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
In a statement on Wednesday, the DENR said CDO was issued with a cease-and-desist order dated Sept. 26, 2019 for irregularities in its rendering area and waste water treatment facility, which “causes environmental impacts and poses nuisance to public health and safety.”
The CDO Malvar plant operates a 60,000-square meter manufacturing plant that produces more than 93,000 metric tons of processed meat products a year.
In an order signed by DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 4-A Director Noemi Paradana, the meat processing plant was found to have violated Presidential Decree 1586 or the “Philippine
Environmental Impact Statement System” and DENR Administrative Order 2003-30, particularly Condition 13 of the ECC.
Under the condition, CDO agreed that when the implementation of its project causes adverse impacts to the environment or poses nuisance to public health and safety, it “shall immediately suspend its operation until such time that appropriate remedial measures are effected.”
Prior to the cease-and-desist order, the DENR said a notice of violation was issued by the EMB and CDO was ordered to conduct corrective measures pertaining to the foul odor as early as October 2018, which the company failed to do.
In August this year, it said the EMB-Calabarzon received complaints from concerned citizens that the CDO plant continued to emit unpleasant smell during its operation in the afternoon until evening. The complaints were validated by a team sent by the EMB-Calabrzon to conduct an investigation in the area.
“Na-observe po talaga namin na meron pong unpleasant smell, foul odor na nanggagaling roon sa rendering area at doon sa anaerobic pond (We observed unpleasant smell, foul odor coming from rendering area and naerobic pond),” said Paranada who led the EMB investigating team.
“This is alarming considering that CDO produces food products,” Paranada added, noting that the waste water discharge goes to Alulod River then to Taal Lake.
In October 2018, the official said the CDO was issued a notice of violation for non-compliance with several conditions stated in its ECC, including emission of foul odor.
An ECC is issued as a Certificate of Environmental Compliance Commitment to which the proponent conforms with, after the EMB explains the conditions.