Board member voices apprehension regarding suspected medical waste transportation in Leyte
In a letter penned on July 10, 2025, Leyte First District Board member Wilson Uy has expressed concern over an upcoming shipment of infectious and hazardous medical waste from Mandaue City, Cebu to Leyte province. The shipment, consisting of 301 drums, has been the subject of media reports in Cebu.
The destination for this waste is Cleanway Environmental Management Solutions Inc. (CEMSI), a DENR-accredited facility in Isabel, Leyte. CEMSI, known for its nationwide coverage and operation across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, is the country's first fully-integrated hazardous waste treatment facility, offering on-site waste collection, accredited transportation, proper storage, certified treatment, and disposal.
However, Uy has raised questions about the facility's compliance with safety and environmental regulations, stating that accreditation alone does not guarantee ongoing compliance. In his letter, he demanded a thorough, on-site inspection of CEMSI's incineration units, effluent treatment systems, and storage areas. He also urged the DENR and all concerned agencies to conduct rigorous, unannounced audits, verify emission and discharge records, and publicly release inspection findings.
Uy emphasized the importance of regular inspections to ensure CEMSI's compliance with safety and environmental regulations, as well as the importance of full transparency and absolute accountability for the handling of the medical waste. As of the article's publication, the DENR and DOH have not released statements regarding Uy's concern.
The CEMSI facility in Isabel, Leyte is designed to handle and process hazardous medical waste under strict environmental standards. The city's newly contracted hauler for the medical waste is Cleanway Environmental Management Solutions Inc. (CEMSI).
This call for transparency and regular inspections highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of facilities handling hazardous medical waste. It serves as a reminder that while accreditation is an important step, it is not a guarantee of ongoing compliance. Stakeholders and the public have a right to know that their environment and health are being prioritized.
[1] Source: Uy, W. (2025). Letter to the DENR, DOH, and relevant agencies regarding the shipment of hazardous medical waste to Cleanway Environmental Management Solutions Inc. (CEMSI) in Isabel, Leyte.
- The shipment of hazardous medical waste from Mandaue City, Cebu to Leyte province is headed to Cleanway Environmental Management Solutions Inc. (CEMSI) in Isabel, Leyte, a facility known for its nationwide coverage and operation across the Philippines.
- Leyte First District Board member Wilson Uy has raised concerns about CEMSI's compliance with safety and environmental regulations, suggesting that regular inspections are necessary to ensure proper handling of the medical waste.
- Uy has urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Health (DOH) to conduct rigorous, unannounced audits of CEMSI, verify emission and discharge records, and release inspection findings to the public.
- This call for transparency underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring of facilities handling hazardous medical waste, as accreditation alone does not guarantee ongoing compliance with safety and environmental regulations, and the public has a right to know that their environment and health are being prioritized.
