BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The proposed P2.3-billion waste-to-energy (WtE) facility in Barangay Ingore, La Paz district could exacerbate air pollution in the metropolis once it emits pollutants such as dioxins, furans, heavy metals, and particulate matter into the air, an environmental advocacy group warned.
Refuting Mayor Jerry Treñas’ claim about the facility, EcoWaste Coalition noted that the WtE facility has potential environmental and health impacts such as upper respiratory infections caused by exposure to dioxins from WTE incinerators.
“These risks are heightened by the fact the WTE incinerator is planned to be constructed within 50 meters of residential areas. There is no safe site for constructing the plant anywhere, nor a buffer zone that can keep people away from pollutants,” the group said in a statement.
Treñas entered into a joint venture agreement with Metropacific Water Investment Corp. to construct a P2.3-billion cutting-edge Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (ISWMF) in Barangay Ingore in La Paz district last March 1.
The WtE facility is projected to process up to 470 tons of non-recyclable waste as potential fuel daily and produce around 2.4 megawatts of energy.
Under the agreement, the ISWMF would treat, recover, and convert the city’s waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and biogas, which are considered renewable energy sources by the Department of Energy.
The facility will be installed with appropriate technology and equipment for operation and maintenance.
“It will significantly reduce the waste that ends up in Iloilo landfills, conserving natural resources, and minimizing environmental impact. The project is also estimated to result in a reduction of 129,000 metric tons per year of CO2 (carbon dioxide) equivalent,” Metropacific Water said in a statement.
The mayor had defended the WtE proposal, emphasizing the facility is expected to address the city’s growing waste disposal challenges while generating renewable energy thus contributing to environmental sustainability.
“I am very positive it will benefit the Ilonggos once it goes through all the strictest tests of the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other government agencies. I will not allow any facility to produce toxic and hazardous pollutants in the city,” Treñas had said.
In a statement, EcoWaste said that WTE incinerators have been recognized in science and international environmental agreements as being major emitters of toxic and hazardous pollutants.
“Perhaps the most well-known among these is its contribution to dioxin emissions, which accumulate in the environment, are passed on through the food chain, and are identified as the most toxic chemical pollutant known to science,” the group said.
Dioxins cause several illnesses and health problems such as cancer, leukemia, miscarriages, birth defects, respiratory diseases, and many others.
It also noted the experiences of other countries proved that WTE incinerators do not address landfill concerns, nor reduce environmental impacts related to waste.
“While it is true that the overall volume of waste is typically reduced by 70-80 percent, the resulting ash is of particular concern due to its highly toxic nature. Incinerated ash must be disposed of in specialized hazardous landfills because of the threats it poses to human life and the environment,” the group said.
Citing the 2021 Waste Analysis and Characterization Study, the group said that 50 percent of Iloilo City’s waste is biodegradable, while 25 percent is recyclable, and the remaining 25 is residual.
“WTE incinerators strongly prefer dry waste feedstock to operate. The city’s waste profile alone shows that it is not suitable for running the facility. There are numerous cases of WTE incinerators having to shut down because they could not operate effectively with the given feedstock, resulting in government debts and waste of public money,” the group noted.
Likewise, the group said the generation of renewable energy from the WTE incinerator is highly questionable given the mixed nature of municipal solid waste which makes the burning of fossil fuel-derived plastics highly likely.
“WTE incinerators also worsen climate change as they are known to emit more greenhouse gasses than any other energy source per unit of energy produced,” it added.
The group also likened the proposal to construct the WTE incinerator at Barangay Ingore to the existing coal plant and its expansion.
It noted that independent research conducted in 2015 showed that Barangay Ingore residents enjoyed higher quality of life, cleaner air, and healthier lives before its construction.
These findings are in line with a 2020 analysis suggesting that Iloilo coal plant operators could owe over Php 450,000,000 in taxes per year due to externalities and damages from their operations.
“There is great concern that impacts on communities will continue and worsen with the introduction of the WTE incinerator, as well as affect the whole of Iloilo city for generations to come,” the group said.
Ecowaste urged the city officials to conduct “meaningful public consultations” on the WTE incinerator proposal.
“We view this as an opportunity for the Iloilo city government to be fully transparent and to demonstrate its genuine willingness to listen to Iloilo citizens. We are also seeing this as a chance for the city government to consider safer and more cost-effective alternatives to pollution and energy,” the group said./PN
