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SEC. ACOSTA CLOSES DOWN
POLLUTIVE MCDONALD’S AND KING
SUE FACILITIES
Martin Antonio | January 27,
2011
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Adviser for Environmental Protection,
Secretary Neric Acosta, issued a Cease
and Desist Order (CDO) to McDonald’s
Frontera Verde, Pasig branch and to King
Sue Ham and Sausage Co., Inc. after the
two establishments have continuously
discharged wastewater without conforming
to the approved effluent standards set
by law.
Records show that in April 25, 2011
McDonald’s Frontera Verde branch
effluent has failed to comply with the
standard parameters for inland class C
waters. It has been discharging effluent
with a Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
loading pegged at 996 mg/L, which
exceeds the limit set at 50 mg/L. The
LLDA has ordered McDonald’s Frontera
Verde to treat their wastewater and
fined Php 1,000 per day of operation.
Despite receipt thereof on July 25,
2011, the establishment failed to comply
with the said Order. The McDonald’s
branch’s BOD loading has even further
increased to 1,210 mg/L during the
latest inspection on January 16, 2012.
Similarly, King Sue Co.’s effluent
samples have already continuously failed
to comply with effluent standards as
early as April 2010, despite LLDA’s
directive to institute corrective
measures to abate/control the pollution
caused by its wastewater. Latest
sampling of the respondent’s wastewater
on January 11, 2012 revealed failure in
terms of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) –
145 mg/L (Standard: 70 mg/L), Color –
500 PCU (S: 150 PCU), Chemical Oxygen
Demand (COD) – 507 mg/L, BOD – 175 mg/L
(S: 50 mg/L). Moreover, the wastewater
coming from the washing area is not
connected to the existing Water
Treatment Facility (WTF), thereby
directly discharging its wastewater in
the canal.
The CDO requires the aforementioned
establishments to cease and desist from
operating their facilities, equipment
and machineries which are source of
pollutant discharges until necessary
actions are undertaken to conform to the
effluent standards set by law.
The order shall remain enforced until
the used/wastewater and effluent
discharges of the respondents are in
compliance with the standards, laws,
rules and regulations issued by the
Authority. Meanwhile, a penalty of Php
10,000 per day, from the initial date of
inspection until the full cessation of
pollutive discharge, is imposable under
R.A. No. 9275, otherwise known as the
Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
Sec. Acosta, principal author of R.A.
No. 9275, says that establishments have
to treat their wastewater because of its
adverse effects to the lake and its
tributary rivers. The LLDA is trying to
prevent the high BOD loading in the lake
because this is the primary cause of
fish kills. “If we do not act on this,
it will have a serious impact to all of
us since 60-70 percent of bangus
(milkfish) sold in Metro Manila is from
Laguna Lake”, the Secretary added.
Sec. Acosta fervently stated that LLDA
is not singling out McDonald’s and King
Sue; there will be more establishments
to be reprimanded, this is just the
beginning. “We are teaching them to be
compliant because we are doing our best
to secure the largest lake of the
country because it is increasingly
becoming the new source of potable
water, food supply and it is a lifeline
to about 20 million Filipinos. We would
like our businesses to continue
flourishing and providing jobs for our
people, but they should also do their
share in protecting the environment,”
Sec. Acosta said.
