Zambo’s SWMP, one of the best—WB environmentalists
Environmental specialists commissioned by the World Bank to inspect Solid Waste Management Programs implemented by the different areas in the country have described Zamboanga’s project as one of the best in the Philippines.
John Morton, Ph.D., environmental specialist of the World Bank’s Sustainable Development Department and Bryce Lloyd, managing director of the Organic Waste Technologies (H.K.) Limited were one in saying that they were very impressed with the way the city government of Zamboanga manages and operates solid wastes at the present dumpsite in Lumbangan and the existing material recovery facilities.
“We are really impressed in terms of the operation made in terms of the collection system it is one of the best I have ever seen in the Philippines,” Morton assessed after inspecting the dumpsite and the MRF facilities last weekend. “What is really important when you manage solid waste is that it’s operated properly, you maintain your collection system properly, there is lot of day to day effort in the disposal site as well as collection and in Zamboanga (City) there is both of those and that’s what we got in our visit, there is very good system in place and compare this to other cities of similar size, Zamboanga is doing better.”
Zamboanga, according to Morton is one example of a city that is trying to find the money and the site for a sanitary landfill but in the meantime the city “should be commended for investing in the current site, making it safe and operated quite well”.
Lloyd for his part took notice of the manner of organization of waste pickers at the Lumbangan dumpsite, the ongoing efforts to improve the conditions on the site, the composting facility and the locations of the MRF facilities—which he described to be very efficient and well-run.
One thing that impressed him, Lloyd disclosed, was the composting facility placed next to the market (Magay area) and the other one established at the Bagsakan Center. The location of the facilities make the transfer of wastes from these places to the compost facility very efficient as it would not require the use of any transportation facilities.
At the dumpsite in Lumbangan, Lloyd said, he saw the ongoing soil cover mechanism utilized by the city government aimed to help decrease the odor and to contain the dumpsite. He said, he also had discussions about improvements that the city intends to make including the opening of a sanitary landfill in the future.
“We were very impressed, we’ve been travelling around seeing various sites in the Philippines both in the north and in the south and we were quite impressed in fact this is one of the better managed operations that we have visited in the past several weeks,” Lloyd emphasized.
The two environmental specialists are undertaking studies related to gas recovery or the possibility of capturing the methane gas and destroying the greenhouse gas emissions coming from the landfill as part of the government’s campaign against global warming.
Morton and Lloyd paid a visit on Mayor Celso Lobregat over the weekend to initially inform the chief executive about their assessment and findings of their visit at city’s solid waste management project.
The two officials were briefed on the city’s 20-year SWMP program as well as the Lumbangan dumpsite’s closure plan as well as efforts to operate a landfill system.
Mr. Lloyd said that any landfill system of disposing solid wastes can be dangerous to the environment and public health if it is mismanaged. “However, if you take proper steps to cushion the effects such as properly managing the emissions, the water or lycheate and the drainage conditions then a landfill can be less hazardous to the public.”
“And from what we saw today (here in Zamboanga), the city is taking an approach in the right direction to make that happen,” Lloyd added.
After the conduct of their on-site inspection in the city, Morton and Lloyd will proceed to undertake the feasibility study and eventually submit their findings to the mayor for consideration.
Meanwhile, as efforts are undertaken to convert the garbage disposal system into the landfill system, the city is strictly adhering to the 10 rules and regulations or “Sampung Utos sa Pagsasaayos ng Dumpsite” as required by the Environment Department.
These 10 rules are Site Grading and Stabilization of critical slopes (pag-sasaayos sa tamang taas ng tambak); Application and maintenance of soil cover (Pagtatabon ng Lupa); Provision of drainage control system (Paglalagay ng Canal); Pond (Sahuran ng Katas ng Basura; Putting of fencing and security (paglalagay ng bakod); Establishment of MRF/Storage for recyclables (Paglalagay ng Hiwalay na lugar para sa mga recyclables); Organization of waste pickers into Eco Soldiers and Provision of working schedule for retrieval of recyclables (Pagorganisa at paglalagay ng iskedyul sa mga mambubulasi o mangangalahig); Vegetation (Pagtatanim ng mga punungkahoy); and Putting up signages. (Sheila Covarrubias)