ILOILO City – Only 13 local government units (LGUs) in Western Visayas have so far established sanitary landfills, according to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).
Bur five more LGUs are currently constructing their own solid waste management facilities, said Atty. Ramar Niel V. Pascua, EMB Region 6 director.
A sanitary landfill is a solid waste management facility that utilizes an engineered method of waste disposal, primarily for municipal solid waste. An “engineered” method of landfilling means that garbage is handled at a disposal facility that is designed, constructed and operated in a manner protective of public health and the environment.
Where are these sanitary landfills located in Western Visayas?
There’s one in Iloilo City – the Calajunan sanitary landfill in Mandurriao district.
Iloilo province has one in Lambunao town.
Another is in Roxas City, Capiz; in Malay, Aklan; San Jose, Antique, and in Bacolod City.
Seven are in Negros Occidental: Bago City, San Carlos City, Cadiz City, Kabankalan City, Himamaylan City, Sagay City, and Sipalay City.
Sanitary landfills underway, meanwhile, are in Passi City, Iloilo; cities of Silay, Talisay and La Carlota in Negros Occidental; and in Tapaz, Capiz.
Pascua said some LGUs have decided to do clustering (sharing) with those with operational sanitary landfills.
Iloilo City is clustered with the Iloilo towns of Santa Barbara, Pavia, Leganes, and Oton.
The one in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental is clustered with Calatrava, Don Salvador Benedicto, Toboso, and Escalante City.
Hinoba-an, also in Negros Occidental, is sharing a sanitary landfill with Sipalay City.
Once the construction of the P308-million integrated waste management facility in Barangay Aglalana, Passi City is completed, it would cluster 29 LGUs: Badiangan, Bingawan, Cabatuan, Calinog, Janiuay, Mina, Pototan, Anilao, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Dueñas, Dumangas, San Enrique, Ajuy, Balasan, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, Lemery, San Dionisio, San Rafael, Sara, Oton, Santa Barbara, Leganes, and Zarraga.
But while LGU clustering for sanitary landfills is allowed under Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act), Pascua said it is best for each local governments to have their own.
“Advisable gid nga may ara gid tani ang kada municipality kay bal-an mo in the long run kon may ara ka sanitary landfill daw makatipid ang municipality kay indi na magbayad sang tipping fee,” Pascua explained.
The 29 LGUs clustered with Passi City agreed for a tipping fee of P749 per ton of garbage delivered.
Pascua stressed that having a sanitary landfill is important “kay gina-prohibit sa Section 37, Article 6 of RA 9003 ang establishment and operation of open dumps for solid waste disposal upon the effectivity of the law in 2001.”
The director also understands that some LGUs cannot establish their sanitary landfills yet because of budget constraints.
The EMB also has not set a timeline for the establishment of these waste facilities.
In the meantime, the EMB is encouraging those LGUs without sanitary landfills to dutifully manage their wastes.
“Una dapat to lessen sang volume sang basura nga gina-collect sang LGUs, dapat i-enforce ang ‘no segregation, no collection policy’,” said Pascua.
He added: “Kon wala sila sang sanitary landfill ukon wala naka-cluster, pwede sila temporary nga maka-open sang residual containment area (RCA). Dira nila anay i-store ang ila nga residual wastes pero dapat naka-properly contained… nakasako tapos may atop kag ding-ding para indi maukay sang sapat.”
Pascua further noted that the EMB is extending help especially to those communities without sanitary landfills by hiring civil engineers and geologists to conduct assessment and design a sanitary landfill that is viable and affordable for the LGU concerned.
The EMB has also been providing technical assistance to these LGUs, Pascua said.
Not all wastes should be dumped into the sanitary landfill, he stressed.
“Our recyclable wastes mahimo ibutang sa material recovery facility sang barangay or concerned LGU,” Pascua said.
“Ang biodegradable pwede ibilin sa household para mahimu nga abono samtang ang residual waste like plastic sachets sang shampoo or iban pa nga plastic amo naman ang ihaboy sa sanitary landfill,” he added./PN
