THE open dump site of Carcar City in south Cebu was officially closed last Wednesday after two years of operation.
Its operation in sitio Palanas, barangay Poblacion I was protested from the start by environment groups for violating Republic 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act that prohibits opening of new open dump sites and requires the gradual closure of existing ones.
The city’s dump site is one of 33 dump sites in Cebu province ordered closure by the Environment and Mananagement Bureau.
The other towns that were issued notices are Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Balamban, Barili, Bogo City, Boljoon, Cordova, Daanbantayan, Dumanjug, Ginatilan, Madridejos, Malabuyoc, Minglanilla, Moalboal, City of Naga, Oslob, Pilar, Poro,
Ronda, Samboan, San Fernando, Santander, San Remigio, Sta. Fe, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabuelan and Tudela.
Amancio Dongcoy, regional solid waste management coordinator of the EMB, said they faced no problems in the implementation of the closure order.
To address solid waste collection in Carcar, Mayor Apura said the city will partner with FDR Integrated Resource Recovery Management, Inc. (IRRMI).
The private firm will collect Carcar’s solid waste and transport it to a private landfill in the City of Naga. The city will spend P400,000 a month for the waste collection.
Apura said Carcar wanted to set up its own solid waste facility to comply with RA 9003, but the cost of building it at P150 million to P250 million was too high.
Mayor Nicepuro Apura manages the closure of the city’s dumpsite at Sitio Palanas, barangay Poblacion 1, Carcar City, Cebu. (CDN PHOTO/MELISSA Q. CABAHUG)