Philippines: DENR says waste-to-energy viable solution to garbage problem

Philippines: DENR says waste-to-energy viable solution to garbage problem

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has cited
waste-to-energy (WTE) technology as a viable solution to the worsening
garbage problem in the country, particularly in the metropolis.

DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas
Leones said WTE was a "smart alternative" to the traditional sanitary
landfill, which is the waste disposal method allowed under Republic Act
9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

"Our landfills can only hold so much trash. We need to look for other ways
to dispose of our garbage and WTE is a smart alternative with less
environmental impact," Leones said.

Earlier, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu met with board members of the Union of
Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), an umbrella organization of
elected government officials from provincial down to the barangay levels,
where he sought their commitment to prioritize solid waste management in
their respective localities because of the increasing volume of garbage
being generated throughout the country.

"Local government units (LGUs) are duty-bound to comply with the existing
law on solid waste management," Cimatu said.

"The law provides that the primary responsibility in the implementation of
waste segregation and disposal at source is lodged with the LGUs," he added.

According to Leones, WTE was more environment-friendly than sanitary
landfills.

He noted that when waste sits in landfills, it leaks methane and other
greenhouse gases that are harmful to the environment and human health.

"On the other hand, there are WTE technologies that use biogas or enzymes to
convert waste into useful energy," Leones pointed out.

"With these technologies, we will be able to reduce the need for landfill
disposal," he added.

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Link to Original Article:
http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/08/23/denr-says-waste-to-energy-viable-solution-t
o-garbage-problem/

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com