Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. (PWS) started in October last year supplying low-carbon refuse-derived fuel (RDF) produced from processed solid waste in Cebu. | PHOTO FROM PWS WEBSITE
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The rehabilitation of the waste facility in Brgy. Binaliw in Cebu City is ongoing to especially address concerns on foul odor and water contamination.
Cara Peralta, president of Prime Waste Solutions Cebu (PWS Cebu), told city officials during an ocular inspection on Friday, that they have “doubled up” chemical spraying of fresh waste at the facility to control odor.
“What’s unique then about this facility is that it’s a brown field, meaning we acquired a landfill that was already operating. And then we took it upon ourselves to do the rehabilitation,” Peralta said.
READ: Garcia to Binaliw landfill operators: Show me solutions in a week
Peralta had informed acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia that they had been trying to rehabilitate the waste facility since they took over its operation in January 2023.
Since then, they have introduced various improvements which include the establishment of a second materials recovery facility (MRF) line to increase their capacity to process wastes. The facility currently processes 1,000 tons of solid waste per day.
READ: Binaliw landfill waste linked to severe water contamination in Consolacion
In addition, PWS Cebu is also commissioning a new and upgraded wastewater treatment facility next month.
Ocular inspection
Garcia and some city councilors visited the facility on Friday morning for an ocular inspection following complaints from Binaliw residents on the foul odor coming from the facility.
READ: PWS promises full cooperation in addressing Binaliw landfill woes
With Garcia were Councilors Pastor Alcover Jr., Edgardo “Jaypee” Labella and Joel Garganera. They were also accompanied by the PWS Cebu team.
During the visit, Garcia remarked that the odor at the waste facility was “tolerable.”
“We don’t necessarily really blame you because you just acquired this from the previous (management),” Garcia told PWS Cebu officials during their meeting.
READ: PWS eyes legal action against former ARN shareholders
He added that the facility was “also helping the city in a sense that we are throwing our garbage here.”
Still, Garcia asked PWS to submit next week a comprehensive report detailing the problems at the facility and the short-, mid-, and long-term solutions that were identified by the management.
Water samples
Garcia asked PWS Cebu officials to include in their report the actions taken on the concern raised by Concolacion residents on the alleged water contamination in their area.
He mentioned of reports that that wastewater from the facility would “flow out” during heavy downpour.
“Dapat ma-catch unta ni ang tubig and treated before thrown into the river and to the sea. I want to see a report on that and what is being done on that aspect because we also receive complaints that the rivers were contaminated,” he said.
The acting mayor said that a joint inspection will also be conducted with PWS wherein water samples will be taken.
“I am hoping that by the next week, we will get the report. By the week after, I will again call them to a meeting and discuss the report and see and monitor if the timelines they sent have been followed,”Garcia said.
Collaboration
While they look into the concerns of nearby residents, Garcia also advised PWS to collaborate with the surrounding communities and to closely engage with them by implementing “impactful” Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.
“Let them feel that you’re here. Let them feel your presence, that’s very important. They have to feel that you’re here, that you’re willing to help them. That this is a joint effort between you and them,” the acting mayor said.
PWS Cebu took over landfill operations after they acquired the Binaliw facility from ARN Central Waste Management Inc. (ACI) in January 2023.
The company has a vision of transforming the landfill into a modern MRF with the ultimate goal of recovering and recycling as much as 80 percent to 90 percent of the total waste received, thus significantly reducing waste at the facility.
PWS is currently operating two automated MRFs in the country. One is located in Cebu while the other is in Pampanga, “with plans to develop more MRFs across the country to industrialize the waste management system at high scale.”
Using state-of-the-art equipment for waste segregation and storage, such as vibrating sieves, baler systems, and magnetic separators, to maximize resource recovery, PWS aims to significantly reduce landfill volumes, thereby lessening organic waste ending up decomposing and producing harmful methane emissions.