Nida Cabrera, head of the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources (Cenro). CDN File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The operators of the Binaliw landfill are one step closer to operating the 15-hectare landfill in Barangay Binaliw after they received a notice to proceed with their operations from the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) allowing them to collect wastes from business establishments in the city.
However, they will have to wait for the approval of their accreditation to collect waste as a service provider that can collect waste among private establishments in the city.
Nida Cabrera, Cenro head, said that the ARN Builders, the company managing the Binaliw landfill, had sought for the accreditation to collect municipal wastes or residential wastes as a private service provider which is subject to the approval of the City Waste Management Board.
“As service provider, gi allow namo sila nga moprivately collect sa mga business kung naay magpacollecta nila, more on the municipal wastes,” said Cabrera.
ARN Builders would have to apply for a separate permit to collect hazardous wastes that would also entail different requirements for the service provider.
The Binaliw landfill is a 15-hectare lot in Barangay Binaliw in Cebu City which was developed into a sanitary landfill and material recovery facility (MRF) 2018.
However, on May 4, 2018, an ordinance allowing the city to use the Binaliw property as MRF (material recovery facility) with ARN Builders as service provider was blocked by the City Council to open an MRF at Binaliw after Councilors Joel Garganera and Pastor Alcover, Jr., found out through an inspection that the property was being turned into an open dumpsite.
Prior to the City Council’s disapproval, the officials of Barangay Binaliw as well as the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued ARN Builders a cease-and-desist order on 2017.
Cabrera said that the Solid Waste Board, which she also chairs, would assess the property and the management if they had the proper equipment and if they followed the guidelines for a proper landfill.
She said that although the city waste would not be handled by the ARN Builders, the current service provider, Jomara Konstrukt Corp., could choose to avail of the landfill services at Binaliw through their own private deals.
Aside from the ARN Builders from Binaliw, Cabrera said other service providers had also applied for accreditation to operate in the city for waste management or septage management.
These applications are being reviewed by the Waste Management Board.
According to Cabrera, these service providers will help the city cut down cost on the garbage collection and septage maintenance. /dbs