ILOILO City – A coalition of environmental groups has argued that Waste-to-Energy (WtE) incineration and the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) co-processing being proposed for this city are dangerous distractions to real solutions.
According to the Green-Empowered Movement, instead of addressing waste at its source these porposals perpetuate harmful wasteful production and consumption patterns.
“Real-world evidence of the failures of WtE incineration and RDF co-processing must not be ignored. Ilonggos do not deserve false solutions that are imposed on them,” the coalition emphasized during a recent multi-sectoral forum at the University of the Philippines Visayas.
Real climate action, it stressed, should focus on waste prevention, sustainable product design, and zero waste systems that empower communities and waste workers.
“We are confident that Iloilo City will not be blinded by false promises and will ultimately choose a zero waste path that is just, inclusive, and addresses the root causes of waste through reduction, reuse, and safe recycling,” said Brex Arevalo, climate and anti-Incineration campaigner, GAIA Asia Pacific.
But first, the city government must readily disclose all information about the proposed WtE project, including environmental and social impact assessments, terms of the joint venture agreement, and other pertinent documents,” Arevalo stressed.
“The issue of waste management is a rather broad field, which might be motivating many, but it’s also an area that must be met with responsible management and science-based solutions because of its impacts,” said Queenie Agdalipe, coordinator of People Against False Solutions: an EcoWaste Coalition Movement for Iloilo.
She added that a lot of data on WtE incineration having risk hazards, which stays for years, are already out there.
“The reason for shut down of these facilities in the Global North — notably in 2023, where French health authorities raised concerns about chicken egg contamination near WtE incinerators in Paris, specifically due to elevated levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and PFAS — is a testimony of the adverse health and and environmental risks that comes with them. With Asia being its new market, environmental organizations must be at the forefront of putting a stop to this while ensuring knowledge management and information dissemination among communities, especially stakeholders involved,” Agdalipe added.
Cities need real solutions that address the waste problem at the source with measures to reduce waste generation and cut plastic production and use, said Marian Ledesma, zero waste campaigner for Greenpeace Philippines.
“What they don’t need is yet another problem in the form of incineration or WtE – harmful processes that produce pollution and health threats. Instead of compromising the safety of citizens, the Iloilo City government and other LGUs must enact single-use plastic bans and mandate the adoption of reuse systems. Ilonggos and all Filipinos deserve safe and just solutions that put people and planet first,” said Ledesma./PN
