HOLCIM PHIL.’S PROPOSAL

A NEW project that could eventually end the 60-year-old garbage problem of Dagupan without the city spending a single centavo, has again been found, according to Mayor Belen Fernandez.

The new project is being offered by Holcim Philippines, Inc. based in Bacnotan, La Union, manufacturer of Portland Cement of Holcim brand, presents itself as alternative to the aborted $15 million Waste to Energy project proposed by the American company Sure Global.

Key officials of Holcim Philippines led by Anna Dia Aguisanda came to Dagupan on February 8 to talk with Mayor Fernandez and whom she brought to the dump site in Bonuan for them to see the actual magnitude of the garbage problem.

Aguisanda said Holcim can help Dagupan obtain zero waste through what she called cement kiln co-processing by converting the mountain of garbage in the dumpsite into alternative raw material or alternative fuel that can be used in the production of cement.

She described the process as a zero waste technology.

Mayor Fernandez said Holcim’s offer of help can be a big boon to Dagupan City, enabling it to comply fully with the requirements of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources under the Solid Waste Management Act or Republic Act 9003.

To date, Dagupan is generating some 60 tons of garbage daily from the households, markets, streets and work places. However, because the city has only one garbage truck operating, it can only bring 18 tons of these to the waste facility of Metro Clark in Capas, Tarlac.

The remainder of the garbage are retained at the dumpsite.

Fernandez said the 15 million U.S. dollar waste to energy facility offered to Dagupan City five years ago was rejected by the Lim administration that succeeded her in 2019.

And when Fernandez returned to the mayoral post, she tried to restore the project with Sure Global the U.S.-based company was no longer interested to continue the same. (Leonardo Micua)

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