6.5 Tons of Empty Pesticide Containers were hauled from Benguet Province

Written by Rowena Bilig, Provincial Officer in Baguio and Benguet  l   Published: 07 January 2022

BENGUET, January 7, 2022 – The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) Region CAR witnessed the hauling of 6.5tons of empty pesticide containers on January 7, 2022, at Caponga, Tublay, Benguet. The hauling was spearheaded by the PLGU of Benguet and Croplife Philippines, Inc (CLP, Inc,).

The containers were collected from the farmers of Benguet, Bauko, Mt. Province, and Tinoc, Ifugao through the clean-up drives and regular product stewardships conducted from 2019 to 2021 of various agrochemical companies, in cooperation with dealers, distributors, and local government units of Benguet.

The empty pesticide containers (EPCs) are considered hazardous wastes as indicated in R.A. 6969, with the waste code and description as containers previously containing toxic chemical substances (J201). It was also stipulated in the FPA’s green book or Pesticide Regulatory Implementing Rules and Regulations that the management of the empty pesticide containers is a shared responsibility by all stakeholders, following the rules of the DENR-EMB.

Responsible stakeholders in the proper disposal of empty pesticide containers pertain most especially the end-users who are the farmers being the generator of the EPC wastes. In the case of Benguet province, the PLGU applied as the waste generator catering to the farmers entire the province. With the aid of the CLP, Inc., Benguet PLGU was granted by DENR-EMB the Hazardous Waste Generator license.

The project was witnessed by the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) of Benguet LGU, Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPAg) headed by Provincial Agriculturist Lolita Bentres, Provincial Development and Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), Benguet Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) headed by Julius Kollin,  Tublay MLGU headed by their Municipal Mayor Armando Lauro, Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA)-CAR, Croplife Philippines, Inc. (CLP, Inc.), and Crop Protection Association of the Philippines (CPAP).

This event is the third hauling initiated by PLGU of Benguet and CLP, Inc. The first and second haulings were made in 2018 and 2019 respectively. // Rowena F. Billig, FPA-CAR Provincial Officer for Benguet and Baguio City.