Waste-to-cash program in Cebu City launched

CEBU, Philippines — As Cebu City still faces the perennial problem of waste management, its local government welcomed the initiative of a group of global active leaders in collaboration with a sustainable organization from Japan to reduce plastic waste while also generating profit.

Barrio Luz has been tapped as the pilot area, which Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. has supported. He aims to introduce an incentive scheme based on the percentage of savings to encourage participation from other areas.

The initiative was formally introduced to Cebu City last Saturday by the Junior Chamber International (JCI), composed of young active leaders.

Johnel Luceño, JCI Cebu Vice President for Community Development, said that the project was initiated with their Japanese counterpart, the International Sustainability Development Commission (ISDC), which chose Cebu after assessing its chronic garbage problem.

Luceño said that while Cebu City has an existing ordinance on waste segregation, it hasn’t been strictly implemented.

He added that this prompted the ISDC to provide solutions modeled after successful systems in Japan, partnering with SM GUUN, a third-party supplier that transforms waste into fluff fuel—an alternative to coal to reduce carbon emissions.

“We want their trash to be sent to SM Guun. Ang atoang trash naa gyud nay padulngan,” said Luceño.

However, he said that the most crucial part of the project is the strict enforcement of waste segregation.

To support this, multiple workshops and training sessions on waste segregation were conducted among the residents.

For six weeks since the project’s pilot launch, Luceño said they were able to send 5,650 kilograms of trash to SM Guun, which is equivalent to 10 units of fluff fuel.

The challenge now, he stressed, is to expand the project from a pilot phase into a sustainable program across other barangays.

In an interview, Archival expressed enthusiasm about the potential impact of the project on Cebu City.

After evaluating Barangay Luz alone, he noted that the area usually generates around seven tons of waste, which corresponds to a P21,000 tipping fee when disposed of at the City’s landfill in Binaliw.

However, with the implementation of the project, these expenses were reduced to P3,000—marking significant savings for the government.

To fully support the project, Archival now planned to implement an incentive scheme for barangays that can save the most while integrating the project into their waste collection systems. He explained that a certain percentage of the savings will be returned to the barangay.

“Para atong mga barangay maka realize nga nindot diay ni,” said Archival.

He added that the plastics being diverted from landfills can also be sold to generate revenue.

While Barrio Luz served as the pilot area, Archival now aims to roll out the project to other barangays in the city.

He further said this marked the beginning of stronger efforts to implement proper waste segregation at the household level.

Although the City’s segregation policy still has a long way to go, Barrio Luz has already formed a group of “Eco Warriors” to help manage and reduce accumulated garbage.

In the bigger picture, Archival said Cebu City could be generating up to 10 tons of plastic waste, which translates to P30,000 in disposal expenses.

This project aims to sell the plastics instead of dumping them in the landfill, which only increases costs.

If this project can be widely replicated, Archival said the City could save up to P450,000, especially with the possible integration of composting for remaining biodegradable waste.

The project’s ambassador, celebrity Fumiya Sangkai, agreed to be the bridge for the project in Japan. He admitted that he was “culture-shocked” by the garbage problem in the Philippines when he first arrived in 2017.

“This is my advocacy,” he said.

“I got culture-shocked… I was in Manila, I saw the trash in the street. In Japan, I never see that kind... but now, I think it’s better,” he added.

Waste management has been one of Archival’s key campaign promises before winning the mayoral race in the midterm elections.

Before this, then-Councilor Archival Sr. also delivered a privilege speech to raise environmental concerns, citing the risks to residents' well-being in Barangay Binaliw due to the “stench” believed to be coming from the landfill in the area.(CEBU NEWS)