BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – This metropolis has partnered with a private firm to address the issue of waste management systems and reduce the volume of waste going to the Calahunan sanitary landfill in Mandurriao district.
Mayor Jerry Treñas yesterday entered into a joint venture agreement with Metro Pacific Water Investment Corp. for the construction of a P2.3-billion cutting-edge Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (ISWMF) in Barangay Ingore, La Paz district.
The proposed waste-to-energy (WtE) can process up to 470 tons of non-recyclable waste as potential fuel daily and produce around 2.4 megawatts of energy.
Treñas stressed the need for the city to find alternative waste management solutions considering the lifespan of the Calahunan sanitary landfill is about to end in about three more years.
“The introduction of a WtE facility not only provides a sustainable and efficient solution for managing the city’s waste but also presents a remarkable opportunity for Iloilo City’s economic growth,” Treñas said.
How will such a mega-facility operate?
Under the agreement, the ISWMF would treat, recover and convert the city’s waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and biogas, considered renewable energy sources by the Department of Energy.
The facility will be installed with appropriate technology and equipment for the operation and maintenance of the facility.
“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,” Metro Pacific Water said in a statement.
In a separate interview, Jose Maria Madara, president and CEO of Metro Pacific Water, said they conducted a feasibility assessment before the unsolicited proposal was offered to the city government.
Since the facility is not an incinerator-based, Madara said the project will not emit poisonous and toxic fumes, and will remain compliant with the Clean Air Act and other environmental laws of the country.
“We will not incinerate. The process in the technology that we are adopting in this project will be fully compliant with the environmental laws of the country,” said Madara./PN
