Consolacion closes own dumpsite

CEBU, Philippines - The Municipality of Consolacion has closed its dumpsite in Barangay Polog to give way for its rehabilitation and conversion into a Material Recovery Facility.

Mayor Teresa Alegado said the town is now dumping their garbage in a privately-owned sanitary landfill adjacent to the old dumpsite. The landfill is owned and operated by Asian Energy System Corporation.

The open dumpsite in Barangay Polog has been used by the previous administrations, but the Municipal Government of Consolacion has to cease operating it in compliance with the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which prohibits the use of open and controlled dumpsite.

Consolacion, which is composed of 21 barangays, has an estimated of 20 to 25 tons of garbage everyday. The volume however is expected to increase soon as soon as the SM Mall in Barangay Cansaga will start operating.

According to Alegado, they are intensifying its education campaign up to the barangay level and encouraging the people to practice segregation to minimize the garbage dump in the sanitary landfill.

The mayor said, they are also asking the support of the Department of Education to encourage the students to adopt the segregation of garbage in school.

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed between Asian Energy System Corporation and the local government wherein they have agreed on a joint cooperation and collaboration to ensure the success of the establishment and operation of the facility.

The agreement states that the town will utilize the facility for all the garbage and other solid wastes, except hazardous and toxic wastes.

The company will accommodate garbage from adjoining towns and cities as well as private entities within the Province of Cebu.

The state-of-the art sanitary landfill in Consolacion, which was inaugurated in December last year, is the first in Cebu and is seen to solve for a significant period of time the garbage problem of Metro Cebu.

Those who wish to avail of the facility will have to pay specific Tipping Fee to Asian Energy Systems Corporation. — (FREEMAN)