DC2021-06-0020 — Biomass and Biofuels Safety, Health and Environment Code of Practice
Full title: Biomass and Biofuels Safety, Health and Environment Code of Practice Issued: 11 June 2021 | Secretary: Alfonso Cusi (2,202 lines OCR) Basis: RESHERR (DC2012-11-009), Rule 2, Section 8
This circular establishes binding safety, health, and environmental requirements for biomass and biofuels RE operations. One of five simultaneously issued sub-codes under the RESHERR framework.
Scope
Applies to all employers, employees, contractors, and other entities engaged in biomass power generation and biofuels operations in the Philippines.
Structure
| Section | Subject |
|---|---|
| I | Safety, Health and Environment Policy Statement |
| II | Definition of Terms |
| III | Safety, Health and Environment Practices (general) |
| IV | Power Plant Facilities |
| V | Biomass Facilities |
| VII | Separability Clause |
| VIII | Resolution of Conflicts and Overlapping Jurisdictions |
| IX | Repealing Clause |
| X | Effectivity |
Key Sections
Section III — General SHE Practices: Contractor management; emergency response; fire prevention; electrical safety; machinery guarding; chemical safety; PPE; ergonomics; environmental management.
Section IV — Power Plant Facilities: Civil structures; boilers and steam turbines (for biomass combustion plants); electrical systems; fuel handling and storage infrastructure.
Section V — Biomass Facilities and Biofuels Operations:
| Area | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Feedstock storage | Combustion/explosion risk for dry biomass (rice hulls, bagasse, wood chips); moisture monitoring |
| Dust explosion prevention | Dust collection systems; ventilation requirements; ignition source controls |
| Biogas collection/flaring | Anaerobic digester safety; gas leak detection; emergency flaring systems |
| Biofuels production | Bioethanol, biodiesel, and biogas from waste-to-energy |
| Agricultural feedstocks | Sugarcane, coconut, rice hulls transport and storage [DC2021-06-0020, §V, 2021-06-11] |
| Wastewater management | Effluent treatment from biomass processing; discharge monitoring |
| Co-firing | Safety protocols when biomass is co-fired with conventional fuels |
Employer Obligations
All biomass/biofuels RE companies must designate an eligible Safety Officer and are subject to random safety inspections by REMB [DC2021-06-0020, §III, 2021-06-11].
Full text: Cleaned copy