THE City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) said Monday that it is planning to partner with Holcim Philippines Inc. in plastic management project, a move that will reduce the garbage disposal by 10 to 20 percent.
In an interview, Cenro officer-in-charge (OIC) Eliza Madrazo said if the project pushes through, this will free up more space at the city’s seven-hectare sanitary landfill in New Carmen, Tugbok District.
She said it was the cement company who proposed to Cenro that they will accept non-biodegradable wastes such as plastics and used tires produced by the city.
Holcim is also choosing Bunawan, the immediate environ of the company as its testing ground for this initiative. After which, they will see if it’s feasible to cover the entire city.The Cenro official met with Ernesto C. Paredes, vice president of Holcim Philippines Inc.-Geocycle along with the barangay captains of Bunawan last February 23 to discuss the proposed project.
She said they are just waiting for the second meeting to be called for by the company to finalize the project.
If this pushes through, this will be the first time ever in Mindanao that a city has tied up with Holcim in the plastic management.
“Meron kanang volunteer to clean up. Here’s this company volunteering to accept plastic wastes. That’s good enough for the city. We need collaboration with other organizations,” she added.
In a previous report, the volume of municipal wastes that Cenro collects daily reaches 480 tons while the medical wastes average 400 to 600 kilograms that the RAD Green Solutions’ Pyroclave collects on a daily basis.
According to Madrazo, the plastic wastes of the wet markets and shopping malls comprise large of volumes of the total garbage at the sanitary landfill and other plastic wastes that cannot be sold at the junk shops.
Madrazo said the company will use these wastes to produce cement using the technology that is said to be environment-friendly since it is not producing fumes into the atmosphere.
“Based on their technology, there’s no threat in fume emission,” she said, adding the temperature is set at a level that prevents smoke emission.
With the project, Cenro is hoping to save up space at the sanitary landfill since the city’s population is also increasing, which will eventually contribute to the generation of wastes if not managed well.
In 2012, plastic manufacturers in the city started producing oxo-biodegrable plastics, following the implementation of ban on non-biodegradable bags and polystyrene foam as food and beverage containers as mandated by Section7, Article V of the City Ordinance 0361 series of 2010, or the Davao City Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of 2009.
Street garbage
The Cenro chief admitted that littering on the streets remains to be a problem up to now.
“Because people usually throw their garbage anywhere despite the implementation of the Anti-Littering Ordinance, ganon parin sila kasi hindi natin sila nahuhuli,” Madrazo added.
Public utility vehicles are also encouraged to place garbage containers where passengers can throw their thrash in.
“No one is exempted. For as long they are in Davao, they should know and follow the rules. Even if there are events and festivals in the city, the provision should be followed,” she said.
Those who will be caught violating the City Ordinance will be issued with citation tickets. They will also undergo orientation on Solid Waste management.
‘Araw’ preparation
Although well-prepared for the upcoming Araw ng Dabaw festivities, she appealed to the revelers to dispose off their garbage properly.
“We promoted the Davao City as a city of discipline. The people should live up to it,” she added.
The article source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2015/03/02/plastic-mgmt-project-cut-waste-disposal-20-395237