The Department of Environment and Natural Resources calls upon the public to keep a clean surrounding to help curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.
Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said that “while we take care of ourselves against the COVID-19 pandemic, we also need to consider that dirty surroundings also contribute to the spread of the virus. Thus, we need to sanitize our homes and workplaces.”
Cimatu advised all households to prepare cleaning solutions by mixing the right proportion of 10 to 15 percent bleaching agent or sodium hypochlorite with clean water.
Common brands of sodium hypochlorite available in the Philippines include Zonrox, Chlorox, Mr. Muscle, etc.
A list of other disinfectant products can be found in this link: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
Cimatu said this solution is sufficient to decontaminate the surroundings. It can also be sprayed on household wastes before these are taken out for collection.
Garbage collectors are also advised to use the same solution on collected wastes before these are transported to disposal sites. Garbage trucks should be disinfected after all trash are disposed and before the next round of collection.
“The idea is to kill the virus present in the solid waste and in the hauling trucks,” Cimatu explained.
Meanwhile, the DENR chief emphasized the need for proper disposal of hospital wastes with the rise in the use of disposable masks, gloves, caps and hospital gowns which are commonly used as protection by health workers against COVID-19.
“The Office of the Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns of the DENR led by Undersecretary Benny D. Antiporda will be coordinating with the mayors for the implementation of this collection, treatment and disposal procedure for solid waste to ensure that it will be followed” Cimatu pointed out.
He added that local government units will be reminded to strictly monitor against disposal of wastes in waterways in compliance with Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.###
