QUEZON CITY, Jan. 21 (PIA)–The Quezon City government appealed to Environment Secretary Gina Lopez to reconsider her order regarding the immediate closure of the Payatas sanitary landfill as the move would derail the city government’s solid waste management system.A statement from the City’s Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department stated that the Quezon City government is addressing every necessary step to address the concerns of the DENR Secretary.
“To this extent, the Quezon City government is appealing to Secretary Lopez that the city government be given sufficient time to prepare for all the vital adjustments to ensure minimal impact to the city’s solid waste management plan,” the statement said.
“The city government’s waste hauling contract is due to end in September 2017 and will serve as a pivotal moment to ensure the smooth transition for the city to dispose of its wastes in other alternative landfill site, the statement added.
The Quezon City government has already been studying feasible alternative landfills even before the DENR chief issued a statement where she ordered the immediate closure and rehabilitation of the Payatas landfill due to its relative proximity to the La Mesa Watershed.
QC Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department chief Frederika Rentoy said such measure would have to consider a lot of factors.
In a study conducted by the QC EPWMD, it simulated various operational impacts should the closure of the Payatas landfill pushes through.
Quezon City generates an estimated 2,700 tons of garbage a day.
The EPWMD, through its service contractors, deploys an estimated 500 trucks daily. Such number of vehicles would invariably affect the traffic situation in the alternative landfill to be utilized by Quezon City, be it the Rizal Provincial Landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal; the Navotas-Tanza sanitary landfill via Manila North Harbor’s Pier 18; Vitas Marine Loading Station or elsewhere.
“It is important to consider traffic impacts as a result of the change in the collection-disposal route of trucks to also minimize the effect in the garbage collection efficiency currently enjoyed by QC residents,” the EPWMD said.
The change in the disposal area’s location would also necessitate major adjustment in EPWMD’s waste collection schedule.
In so doing, there should be an aggressive information, education and communications efforts to adequately inform and prepare the city’s residents.
The additional distance leading to the alternate landfill as well as higher dumping fee would also mean an increase in hauling costs.
According to the EPWMD, hauling garbage from Quezon City to the Rizal Provincial Landfill would require an additional P300 million for the city government.
The amount of time and action needed by the QC government’s executive department and the City Council to allocate funds for this purpose is another crucial factor.
Another factor to consider is the livelihood of wastepickers that will be affected by the closure of the Payatas landfill.
“Since their sources of income are derived mainly from the sale of recyclables from Payatas, preparing them to find alternative means of livelihood shall be a burden to be carried upon by the QC government,” the EPWMD said. (QC PAISO/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)