BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here has approved on first reading an ordinance imposing strict regulations and heavy penalties on the improper disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) and other hazardous materials.
The measure, authored by Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., is titled the “Bacolod City E-Waste Management and Hazardous Material Ordinance.” It is anchored on Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) administrative orders classifying E-waste as hazardous material requiring special handling and disposal.
Under the ordinance, penalties for irresponsible or unauthorized disposal of E-waste and hazardous waste will range from P3,000 to P50,000, along with possible legal action, administrative sanctions, and criminal charges.
The proposed law mandates households, businesses, schools, government offices, and institutions to segregate and declare all e-waste separately from biodegradable and recyclable waste streams. Only DENR-accredited collectors, facilities, or recyclers will be authorized to handle, transport, and dispose of such materials, based on a public registry managed by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO).
To ensure safe handling, E-waste must be collected exclusively by trained personnel and not during regular garbage collection. Temporary storage facilities, compliant with DENR and Department of Health (DOH) guidelines, will be designated for collected materials. Open burning and informal dismantling of E-waste will be strictly prohibited.
The ordinance defines E-waste as discarded electronic and electrical equipment such as televisions, radios, computers, laptops, mobile phones, printers, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, electric fans, chargers, circuit boards, and used batteries, among others. Hazardous wastes, meanwhile, are classified as any toxic, corrosive, reactive, or infectious solid, liquid, gaseous, or semi-solid waste under Republic Act 6969, or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990.
Gamboa stressed that the measure seeks to address the growing volume of E-waste in Bacolod, which poses serious threats to human health and the environment. “This ordinance aims to educate the public, encourage active participation in environmental protection, and align Bacolod with sustainable and lawful waste management practices,” he said.
Once fully approved, Gamboa added, Bacolod could become a model city for sustainable urban waste management and environmental conservation./PN
