• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez ordered the closure of a junk shop in Bacolod City, following the revocation of its business permit, after policemen recovered P14 million worth of stolen telecommunication batteries from its premises.
In the issuance of notice of revocation of business permit and closure of JLC Junk Shop, Benitez said the establishment was issued with a permit to operate as a junk shop, and not as a storage facility of potentially hazardous materials.
Let it be noted that for public welfare and safety, the city requires a more stringent requirement to be observed to operate a storage facility (for batteries), the mayor said, citing possible environmental hazards.
On June 29, the police confiscated 136 units of telco batteries with an estimated value of P13.2 million, and 15 units of 12 volts 180AH batteries valued at P1.5 million, from the storage facility of JLC junkshop.
A spot inspection by the Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Permits and Licensing Office of Bacolod City on July 4 stated the discovery of stocks of used batteries piled in the compound of the junk shop.
The inspection report further stated that to engage in battery recycling process, the establishment should have secured an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) or Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) and Hazardous Waste Generator Registration Certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environment Management Bureau, documents which the JLC Junk Shop could not present when asked, Benitez said.
He also stressed that there was “a clear and blatant violation of the business permit and misrepresentation,” which potentially puts the safety of Bacolodnons at risk, the mayor said, which constrained him to revoke the junk shop business permit and order its closure effective immediately.*
