The environment department is working to improve the local government units’ (LGUs) compliance with Republic Act (RA) 8749 (Clean Air Act of 1999) so the country can have better air quality.
”I directed Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to study the legal basis for liability of LGUs which are supposed to implement RA 8749 but fail to regulate or prevent spike of air pollution every Jan. 1st,” Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje said Friday in a briefing on air pollution impact of New Year’s eve fireworks.
He noted EMB initially reported Pollution Adjudication Board might be able to help set fines for air pollution-tolerating LGUs.
RA 8749 provides that LGUs “shall share the responsibility in the management and maintenance of air quality within their territorial jurisdiction.”
Paje ordered the study, noting EMB data show volume of pollutive particulate matter 10 (PM10) between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 1), New Year’s Day, surged to an average 1,550 micrograms/normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm).
Such average covers readings of EMB air quality monitoring stations in Metro Manila’s Taguig City, San Juan City, as well as Ateneo de Manila University and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Timog areas in Quezon City.
PM 10 during the period, which followed fireworks-lighting New Year’s Eve revelries on Tuesday (Dec. 31), exceeded the acceptable national air quality guideline value of 150 ug/Ncm, Paje noted.
”The average reading we got is about 1,000 times more than the guideline value,” he said.
Paje raised urgency for addressing PM10 pollution, noting such particle pollutants are so small these can be easily inhaled and end up in people’s lungs to cause health problems like cancer.
PM10 isn’t easily dispersed during the hours after New Year’s Eve since early January isn’t a windy period, he noted.
”This is really a concern — the data highlights seriousness of repercussions our yearly New Year’s Eve revelries bring,” he said.
Citing Department of Health (DOH) studies, Paje noted air pollution-related diseases are an economic burden costing the country some P7 billion annually.
He said DENR is bent on increasing LGU compliance with RA 8749, saying this agency will continue pursuing its bid to increase number of air quality monitoring stations across Metro Manila which is the country’s main urban center. [PNA]
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