Binaliw landfill woes solution: Dump only segregated waste there

Solid Waste Management Board suggests solutions to address foul odor from Binaliw landfill

Employees clean up the remaining trash at the landfill located in Barangay Binaliw in this file photo.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Ecological Solid Waste Management Board gave some suggestions that would benefit the Binaliw landfill as well as the residents affected by its foul odor.

On Monday, residents who lived near the landfill in the mountain barangay of Binaliw in Cebu City called the city government to address their concerns on the foul odor coming from the piles of trash there.

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At the same time, they have expressed concerns on their health due to the presence of flies in their area. Also, they worry that the landfill will contaminate all of their ground water sources.

These concerns were the primary discussions between Ma. Emma Ramas, alternate chairman of Cebu City Ecological Solid Waste Management Board, and the board’s executive director, Bernard Maraasin, in an episode of the Sugboanon Channel.

Ramas said they did not only hear the residents’ complaints, but they also visited the site to see for themselves the situation.

An open dump site

“Open dump site na gyud siya,” Ramas said pertaining to the video flashed on Sugboanon Channel.

(It is really an open dump site.)

She added the management operating the landfill should have regularly covered the wastes being put in the landfill, noting that the odor was unpleasant.

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The landfill in Brgy. Binaliw was previously operated by ARN Central Waste Management Inc. (ACI).

Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. (PWS) Cebu took over the landfill’s operations in 2022 and converted the area into an MRF. The Cebu MRF – the first of its kind in the country – was inaugurated in January 2024.

Ramas said they invited the PWS to appear before the board last Thursday.

Wastes from other LGUs also

Based on the management’s explanation during their board meeting, Maraasin learned that PWS did not only cater wastes from Cebu City but also from Consolacion, Mandaue City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City, and Compostela.

He said Cebu City alone dumped an average 580 tons of garbage per day.

“This is really alarming kay murag unfair. Within Metro Cebu, ang Cebu City naman hinuoy labayanan sa mga basura,” Maraasin said.

(This is really alarming because it seemed unfair. Within Metro Cebu, it is now Cebu City where the wastes are thrown.)

He said the board recommended the PWS that while addressing the problem, they would minimize in accepting garbage from other LGUs.

Meanwhile, Ramas said when PWS took over the operations of the landfill, there were already wastes operated by the previous management.

Binaliw landfill woes solution

Reflecting on the situation, Maraasin said that it was why waste segregation was important.

“Ang atoang mga basura katong mga lata mao toy magda og baho,” he said.

(Our wastes, the ones which would rot were the ones which would cause the odor.)

Ramas suggested the management to control the volume of waste coming in and out of the landfill.

The second suggestion she made was segregation. It would be better for the PWS to only accept segregated wastes.

“Kung malain nila ang malata, then they can process it into compost. Di na manimaho basta i-process. Ilain nila ang recyclables. Pwede nila either ibaligya or unsaon na nila naa nay value,” she said.

(If they can segregate those that will rot, then they can process it into compost. Those will no longer smell as long as these would be processed. They should separate the recyclables. They can either sell them or they can do with whatever they can with those because these had value.)

She added they could put liquid enzymes to inoculate the piles of microbial organisms, but this could only be done if the wastes would be segregated.

“Maglisod gyud sila og process basta mixed. Bisag kinsa pang mayng laki, maglisod gyud og process basta mixed,” Ramas said.

(They will really find it difficult to process if it is mixed. Ask any expert, they will really find it difficult to process if these are mixed.)

Maraasin said he hoped the board could meet the management again to discuss their suggestions to minimize the complaints from the residents.

“Kung kita tanan sa Sugbo motabang sa Binaliw nga di nata mopadala sa atong malata sa didto kay problema gud didto. Crisis gyud. We will stop sending our malata waste to Binaliw, dako kayg tabang. That will give Prime time to do all the things they need to do to be ready again to operate with a bigger volume ba or makadawat na gyud sila sa waste nga need to be disposed,” she added.

(If all of us in Cebu City will help Binaliw, that we will not send our wastes that will rot there because it is really a problem there. It is really a crisis. We will stop sending our wastes that will rot to Binaliw because it will be a big hel to them there. That will give Prime time to do all the things they need to do to be ready again to operate with a bigger volume or they can really receive the wastes that need to be disposed.)

Meanwhile, Maraasin said if PWS would implement their suggestion on segregation, others might also follow. | with reports from Pia Piquero