Environment sets rules on scrap metal, used tires, batteries

Santo Domingo.- The EnvironmentMinistry on Thursday released the technical regulations for the handling of scrapmetal, used tires and lead-acid batteries to prevent contamination and the degradationof the ecosystem, and the alteration and destruction of natural and culturalheritage.

Environmental Standardsand Research director Lourdes Geronimo called the regulations to manage waste ofvital importance to the Dominican population, since in her view, the lack ofrules pose a threat to people´s health, to the environment and the ecosystems.

"Within theseregulations placed at the disposal of Dominican society figure to surveillance inthe handling and transport of waste and scrap batteries that should be done inan organized manner, properly placed in their containers and boxes, with their respectiveburlap tarps," the official said.

Geronimo said the rulesalso establish an immunization record for personnel linked to those tasks, apest management program to prevent the spread of vectors that cause diseases,as well the use of tarps when transporting them.

She stressed the ban onuncollected or non-stored scrap from an undetermined source, to prevent radioactivematerials, the shredding of electrical devices that may contain polychlorinatedbiphenyls (PCB), whose released vapors are highly carcinogenic.