THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
First RegulaC3ession 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
R.A. No. 6969 or the “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes ontrol Act 
of 1990,” covers the importation, manufacture, processing, handling, storage, tran portation, 
sales, distribution, use, and disposal of all unregulated chemical substances and mixtures in the 
Philippines, including the entry, even in transit, as well as the keeping or storage and disposal of 
hazardous and nuclear wastes into the country for whatever pwpose 
However, the law lacks specific guidelines on how the hazardous and nuclear wastes 
would be transported. 
This bill seeks to empower the Secretary of the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources and the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and 
Communications, in coordination with other concerned government and non-government 
entities, to establish the safest routes for the transportation of hazardous and nuclear wastes. 
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MIRIAM DEFEN 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO REQUIRE THE DESIGNATION OF THE SAFEST ROUTES FOR THE 
TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS AND NUCLEAR WASTES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall known as the “Safest Routes for 
Nuclear Wastes Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to regulate, restrict, or 
prohibit the importation, manufacture, processing, sale, distribution, use, and disposal of 
chemical substances and mixtures that present unreasonable risk and/or injury to health or the 
environment; to prohibit the entry, even in transit, of hazardous and nuclear wastes and their 
disposal into the Philippine territorial limits for whatever purpose; and to provide advancement 
and facilitate research and studies on toxic chemicals. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms - As used in this Act: 
(1) “Hazardous wastes” are substances that are without safe commercial, 
industrial, agricultural, or economic usage and are shipped, transported, or brought from 
the country of origin for dumping or disposal into or in transit through any part of the 
territory of the Philippines. 
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Hazardous wastes shall also refer to by-products, process residues, spent reaction 
media, contaminated plant or equipment, or other substances from manufacturing 
operations, and as consumer discards of manufacture products; 
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(2) “Nuclear wastes” are hazardous wastes made radioactive by exposure to the 
radiation incidental to the production or utilization of nuclear fuels but does not include 
nuclear fuel, or radioisotopes which have reached the final stage of fabrication so as to be 
usable by any scientific, medical, agricultural, commercial, or industrial purpose; and 
(3) “Secretaries” refer to the Secretary of the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation and Communication. 
be transported, especially to public health and safety. Such regulations shall - 
(A) specify the data to be considered in making the analysis, 
demographic data, data on the location of emergency response resources, 
including 
data on 


(3) The Secretaries, within sixty (60) days from finalizing the safest routes, should 
cause the publication of the routes where the hazardous and nuclear wastes may be 
transported and the designated safest time when the transportation of these waters may be 
done. Any changes in the regulation affecting the route and time should be published in 
the same manner. 
SECTION 5 .  Separability Clause. - If any provisions or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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