Only 25% of LGUs have landfills
Credit to Author: Jordeene B. Lagare| Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:23:12 +0000
MORE sanitary landfills are needed to cater to the increasing volume of waste generated in the Philippines, a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official said on Tuesday.
At a Senate hearing on waste-to-energy (WTE) and waste management, DENR Assistant Sectretary Jesus Enrico Moises Salazar said waste generation across the country was projected to surge to 21,844,080 tons by 2021 from 21,016,523 tons the previous year.
In Metro Manila alone, waste generation is estimated to increase to 3,527,484 tons annually from the current 3,406,662 tons.
“We now have about 186 sanitary landfills servicing about 407 local government units (LGUs),” Salazar said, adding that the number represents only 25 percent of the total number of LGUs that need sanitary landfills.
The DENR made the annual projection based on the country’s population growth.
“We are projecting that the landfills will be filled up and then later on we will hav e to find other areas where we can establish these landfills for the LGUs to have some disposal areas,” Salazar said in a chance interview after the hearing.
At present, some 331 illegal dumps are in operation despite several closures made by the department.
The DENR official said site selection for potential sanitary landfills should not affect the environment and the surrounding areas where such dumping facilities are operating.
Affordability to put up a sanitary landfill also hampers local governments from building waste disposal facilities.
According to Salazar, the agency is considering the development of WTE facilities as one of the alternative modes of garbage disposal since majority of LGUs are resorting to illegal dump.
When asked if WTE plants can take the place of a landfill, he told reporters “not exactly.”
“It is very difficult to enforce the law. It is also very difficult for the LGUs to comply with the requirements. But we have seen this happen in other areas,” Salazar said, adding this initiative would require more effort on the part of the government and the private sector.
“But still we will have to advocate that or else we are slowly contributing to the degradation of our environment and, later on, we will be suffering the economic, social consequences,” he added.
The Senate panel conducted the hearing to tackle several proposed legislation to adopt WTE facilities for the treatment and disposal of solid waste.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who heads the Senate energy committee, filed Senate Bill (SB) 363 or the “Waste-to-Energy Act” (WTE Act) that seeks to provide a framework for the entire value chain of WTE facilities, and, in turn, ensure the uninterrupted supply of waste as feedstock.
Sen. Francis Tolentino filed SB 401 or the, “Waste to Energy Act of 2019, which seeks to establish guidelines for the use of WTE technology to reduce solid waste and increase energy generation.
Tolentino also filed SB 1011 or the “LGU Waste Management Act of 2019,” which intends to amend Republic Act 7160, or the “Local Government Code of 1991,” to strengthen the power of LGUs in waste management.