Japanese firm to study Cebu City’s waste crisis

CEBU, Philippines — A private Japanese firm has expressed strong interest in conducting a full feasibility study on Cebu City’s Eco-Station, a development that Mayor Nestor Archival said shows his recent trip to Yokohama, Japan, is now “bearing fruit.”

Archival announced through his Facebook account that GUUN Co., Ltd., a Japan-based company specializing in waste-to-fuel recycling, will undertake the study after he presented Cebu City’s waste segregation initiatives and the Eco-Station project during his official visit to Japan earlier this September.

“This study marks a crucial milestone that will open doors to grant opportunities and international funding, bringing us closer to long-term solutions for our city’s garbage crisis,” Archival said.

This latest development also builds on the Mayor’s earlier encounter with GUUN officials.

He previously met the company’s Cebu branch managers in Cebu City, where discussions focused on the city’s mounting garbage problem and the potential of alternative technologies. He also toured GUUN’s facility in Consolacion on May 26, 2026, where he saw firsthand how residual plastics are converted into “fluff fuel” for cement factories.

GUUN Co., Ltd. was established in Yokohama in 2001 and was recognized by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment as a model for low-carbon innovation in developing nations.

Its Cebu operation, formally opened in 2017, was the first of its kind in the Philippines, processing 50–75 tons of waste plastics and paper daily into fuel.

The company’s technology has been cited in international reports as a practical solution for countries struggling with landfill dependence and rising waste volumes.

Archival’s trip to Yokohama earlier this month was seen as a follow-through to strengthen ties and secure technical cooperation.

Upon returning, he again sat down with GUUN officials in Cebu, where the feasibility study was formally discussed.

“Dako kaayo akong pasalamat sa atong mga partners for recognizing our efforts and believing in our vision for a cleaner, greener Cebu City,” he said.

The Eco-Station, inaugurated in June 2026 at the South Road Properties, initially processed up to 20 tons of waste daily through composting, plastic shredding, and eco-brick production.

It was established after the collapse of the Binaliw landfill in January, which killed 36 workers and forced the city to haul garbage to Aloguinsan at a cost of more than ?4 million per day.

Cebu generates 700 tons of waste daily, stressing the urgency of sustainable alternatives. -  (IHM) (CEBU NEWS)