The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Tuesday advised local government units that the safety of environmental frontliners is a must amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Environment workers, particularly garbage collectors, have been classified as essential workers as they work tirelessly to help protect public health and contain the spread of the virus by disposing of everything from household to health care wastes,” Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and LGUs Concerns Benny Antiporda said.
He told local officials to ensure the health and safety of environmental frontliners, particularly garbage collectors and estero rangers.
The agency recently conducted a webinar among environment officers of various LGUs in the National Capital Region on the proper handling of solid and hazardous wastes during the COVID-19 crisis.
“This initiative by the DENR-NCR office is a welcome effort to make sure that we can inform the public about how to properly sanitize and disinfect our surroundings, especially during this time of a health crisis when cleanliness is a must to protect everyone from the virus,” Antiporda said.
DENR-NCR regional executive director Jacqueline Caancan said it was vital for environment workers to be fully aware of the safety and health risks involved as they continue to perform their duties during the pandemic.
“Through the webinar, we were able to inform our environment officers of the safety protocols they must observe to reduce their exposure to deadly viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens,” she said.
“It is very important that we wear complete set of PPEs during fieldwork as we may be exposed to the virus via dust or contaminated wastewater and surface water,” resource person engineer Jean Borromeo said.
Borromeo is the officer in charge at the Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement Division of the Environmental Management Bureau-Metro Manila.