BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — In a major step toward modernizing its urban infrastructure, Bacolod City is finalizing an integration and implementation framework to adopt Waste-to-Energy (WTE) technology. The initiative, a collaboration with the Department of Energy (DOE), aims to address the city’s rapidly depleting landfill capacity while contributing to the local power grid.
The city’s Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) has drafted a formal resolution for the adoption of the framework, which is now slated for approval by the City Council before being submitted to the National Solid Waste Management Commission.
Key Project Details
- Energy Output: The facility is projected to generate up to 15 megawatts of sustainable power.
- Location: The project will be housed at the Bacolod Integrated Recycling and Technology Hub, a 25.7-hectare city-owned facility in Barangay Felisa, adjacent to the current sanitary landfill.
- Strategic Partnership: Last month, Mayor Greg Gasataya signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Energy Secretary Sharon Garin to establish technical cooperation for the facility’s installation.
Addressing the Landfill Crisis
Local leaders emphasize that traditional waste disposal is no longer sustainable for the highly urbanized city.
- Capacity Issues: Juliana Carbon, president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), noted that current data shows a single landfill can be filled to capacity in just 18 months.
- Waste Hierarchy: While WTE is considered the final step in the waste management hierarchy (following avoidance, recycling, and composting), advocates like the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance view it as a necessary solution for the sheer volume of residual waste generated by the city.
Community and Environmental Impact
The framework is designed to promote a holistic approach to garbage. By establishing a high-tech processing hub, the city government hopes to:
- Reduce Waste Volume: Divert significant amounts of trash away from the 5-hectare sanitary landfill.
- Encourage Better Habits: Use the project as a catalyst for community-wide adoption of reuse, recycling, and composting.
- Sustainable Power: Provide a stable source of renewable energy for the local community.
The project has received broad support from the business sector and environmental groups, who agree that the transition to “new technology for processing waste” is critical for the city’s long-term environmental health.