Ben Madilynn
A TEAM from Cebu City’s Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) has been barred from inspecting the private sanitary landfill in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, which has been the subject of complaints from nearby residents due to the stench.
The landfill’s operator, Prime Integrated Waste Solutions (PWS) Inc., reportedly did not allow the SWMB team to proceed with its inspection on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, because the team failed to inform the company with a formal letter, according to City Councilor Joel Garganera.
However, the SWMB team was able to observe the landfill from the outside. Its findings and recommendations were already submitted to Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, Garganera said in a press conference in Binaliw on Monday, Sept. 2.
Also on Monday, a petition, signed by 156 members of Sta. Ana Homeowners Association, was submitted to Garcia in Binaliw, urging the City Government to take action on the stench allegedly coming from the landfill.
Bebing Leogan, president of the association, said in her speech that they do not have problems with PWS running its business in the mountain barangay; however, it wants the company to get rid of the stench.
After accepting the petition, Garcia tasked Reymarr Hijara, head of the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), to make an investigation within three days, starting on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Garcia said Hijara is authorized to check the landfill’s operations, and the Cenro chief is expected to give him a report and recommendation on Sept. 5.
The acting mayor said that the City Government may hold a dialogue with PWS in the middle of the investigation; however, he prefers to invite the company’s representatives after the investigation is completed.
Garcia said PWS had not reached out to him, and he had not reached out to them either.
“I want to know the problem first before I reach out to them,” he said.
Visit
In a press conference, Garcia said he will decide whether to visit the landfill or invite the PWS management for a dialogue with Cenro when the three-day investigation is over.
With regards to the contaminated water in the neighboring barangay of Panoypoy in Consolacion town, Garica said he had no details about it yet.
“The people who complained about the contamination are in Consolacion, not so much here. But at any rate, we will also look into that. We will also check that. We can let the City Health Department…do a water analysis to check if there really is bacteria in their water,” he said.
When asked about possible measures to address the stench from the landfill, Garcia said it is too early to determine a course of action since PWS is compliant with the required permits, including the environmental compliance certificate and the Cebu City Government’s permit.
“They have all the necessary permits, but there are complaints. It might be related to something we’re not aware of or something that the inspectors didn’t notice. So, we need to wait for Cenro’s findings,” he said.
When asked about the status of the Material Recovery Facility, the acting mayor admitted that he is unsure if it is still operational.
Hijara told reporters that he had been told that there were difficulties in gaining access to the landfill.
However, he said he would try to contact PWS to inform about Cenro’s investigation.
He acknowledged the safety concerns raised by PWS, noting that the inspection site is not a simple environment like a residential home.
“There are precautions that need to be followed, but we will make sure to visit and assess their landfill setup to identify any areas for improvement based on our findings,” Hijara said.
He also mentioned that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources already has a report, which is still with the central office, and it will be included in their overall report along with data gathered by the SWM board.
Hijara said he plans to schedule a visit to the landfill by Tuesday, Sept. 3 or Wednesday, Sept. 4.
The Cenro chief suggested that the current issues with the landfill should be seen as an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of proper waste segregation, particularly separating biodegradable from non-biodegradable wastes.
Hijara added that other local government units, especially Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Consolacion, which also dispose of waste at the landfill, should consider not collecting biodegradable wastes, as these contribute to the stench.
“Each resident in Cebu has the opportunity to help with the situation in Binaliw. To the garbage collectors, avoid collecting biodegradable wastes; instead, we should compost them,” Hijara said.
When asked about the status of the “No segregation, no collection” policy, he stated that while there is an ordinance in place, the challenge lies in its implementation. / JPS
