Clean Air Act?

The past weeks, MMDA sidewalk operation has been clearing up our area in C5. It was very commendable that they had cleaned up garbage and unwanted weeds and bushes from the hillside and had de-clogged canals, as well. However, it was very disheartening to find these same people burning the same garbage right there on the sidewalk emitting fumes that are clearly hazardous to our health and our environment as the garbage contains some plastic materials.

Section 20 of the Clean Air Act states:

Ban on Incineration. – Incineration, hereby defined as the burning of municipal, bio-medical and hazardous wastes, which process emits poisonous and toxic fumes, is hereby prohibited: Provided, however, That the prohibition shall not apply to traditional small-scale method of community/neighborhood sanitation "siga", traditional, agricultural, cultural, health, and food preparation and crematoria: Provided, further. That existing incinerators dealing wth bio-medical wastes shall be phased out within 3 (3) years after the effectivity of this Act: Provided, finally, That in the interim, such units shall be limited to the burning of pathological and infectious wastes, and subject to close monitoring by the Department.

Is it still small scale sanitation? And even if it is, isn't it common sense that burning plastic material is hazardous? Don't you think Section 20 needs revision already?

Small scale "siga" ... Just how small is it they're referring to?

Small scale isn't small scale anymore with the current condition the world is in right now. 'Pagsisiga' emits carbon monoxide.. Don't we have more than enough of it already in our air?

Gising!