QUEZON CITY (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasizes the urgency of enacting a waste-to-energy (WTE) measure to address the perennial flooding problem in the country.
During the 6th Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting at the Malacañang Palace on Sept. 25, the president cited the need to revisit the proposed measure, noting it an important discussion in flood control.
“I think waste-to-energy now has taken on a new role. It is no longer just for garbage, waste disposal, or waste management. It is also now very much part of the flood control effort,” he said.
“We have to look at it in a more urgent sense because it really becomes such an important part of the flood control program,” Marcos added.
The Department of Energy (DOE) defines waste-to-energy (WTE) as “an energy system with a process of converting WTE feedstock with various technologies, usually the conversion of non-recyclable waste materials into usable heat, electricity, or fuel through a variety of processes.”
Further, WTE feedstock is defined as waste materials with calorific value that are taken in for WTE processing in a WTE facility.
Related to this, Republic Act No. 9513, or the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008, “aims to accelerate the exploration, development, and utilization of renewable energy resources by institutionalizing the development of national and local capabilities in the use of renewable energy systems and promoting its efficient and cost-effective commercial application by providing fiscal and non-fiscal incentives. The law specifically mandates the Department of Energy to encourage the adoption of waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities and considers biodegradable organic fractions of industrial and municipal wastes as part of biomass resources.”
Meanwhile, Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 “provides the necessary policy framework, institutional mechanisms, and mandate to the Local Government Units (LGUs) to achieve 25 percent waste reduction through the establishment of an integrated solid waste management plan based on the 3 Rs—reduce, reuse, and recycle.”
Garbage and Flooding
Despite the laws related to the proper management of solid wastes, it has been noted that the country’s more than 100 million population is producing over 21 million metric tons of garbage every year.
In the aftermath of the onslaught of Southwest Monsoon (habagat) and Typhoon Carina in July, Marcos noted that improper waste disposal significantly contributed to the flooding that submerged many communities, particularly in Metro Manila.
He urged the public to dispose of their trash properly as an additional preventive measure against flooding, noting that garbage disposed indiscriminately ends up clogging drainage systems.
“All garbage ends up in waterways, making pumping stations fail,” Marcos pointed out.
He added that the watershed areas eventually suffer because of irresponsible garbage disposal.
“Sana matuto naman ang tao. Huwag kayong nagtatapon ng basura dahil ‘yung basura, ‘yun ang nagbara doon sa mga pump natin kaya hindi kasing effective na puwede,” the president was quoted as saying.
Benefits of Waste-to-Energy
Marcos said that addressing the garbage problem through waste-to-energy initiatives is another measure to address flood woes.
He said the WTE projects have reduced flooding by 40 percent, adding that it has to be implemented at the local government level.
The Waste-to-Energy Bill was approved on the third reading by the House of Representatives and is still pending for the second reading in the Senate.
Among the salient points of the proposals for the WTE include the classification of WTE as another kind of renewable energy source through the treatment of wastes or processing of such wastes into a fuel source, the establishment of WTE processing facilities, and the and the mobilization of local government units (LGUs) to ensure protection of the public’s health and the environment.
The measures seek to provide a framework for the entire value chain of WTE facilities, promote sustainable energy sources and energy security, as well as environmentally sound methods in resource recovery, resource conservation, and treatment of residual wastes.
The measure tasks the Department of Energy, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the LGUs, among others, with needed actions for the WTE approach. (PIA-DMD)
