City prepares for W2E project
GARBAGE CRISIS STAVED OFF
THE feared garbage crisis in Dagupan City was allayed after city residents were noted to be responding positively to the call of the city government to segregate their household wastes after the city’s open dumpsite in Bonuan had been closed January 21.
Mayor Belen T. Fernandez expressed confidence that with the cooperation of the residents and the established schedule of collection of garbage in the barangays to their respective MRFs (Material Recovery Facility), she said the city is well on its way preparing for the establishment of the of the planned Waste-to-Energy (W2E) facility whose construction is expected to start at the last quarter of the year.
She told the barangay officials that the technical working group for the project already recommended the acceptance of the bid of the lone proponent willing to build the project at its own expense.
She, however, did not identify the proponent but sources hinted it is a multinational company based in Singapore.
In her first meeting with the village officials since her arrival from the U.S. last week, she ordered the implementation of collection of segregated and mixed waste household wastes by the City Waste Management Division from the different Barangay Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) on a given schedule for disposal at the main MRF at the city dumpsite, where they will be compressed and composted.
Fernandez urged the residents to continue the habit of segregating wastes to prepare for the operation of the P80-million Waste-to-Energy facility that will convert wastes into diesel fuel or biogas.
“I worked hard for this project. Remember, I went to Chile, the United Nations and to the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Summit to bring our garbage problem in the eyes of world leaders. They responded by giving us this project,” the mayor said.
The city government has since relocated 30 scavenger families from the dumpsite to a core shelter project. built by the city and the Department of Social Welfare and Development that hosts a day care center and health center.
The city is also buying nine new brand new dump trucks to collect and deliver wastes to the facility.
Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of the city’s dumpsite is underway. (Leonardo Micua)
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