Feasibility Study on the Solid Waste Management facility (LGU Sanitary Landfill) - CALABARZON

Duration: January – December 2021

The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (Republic Act 9003) enacted in 2000 provides the legal framework for promoting the systematic, comprehensive, and ecological measures for waste avoidance, reduction, reuse, recycling, and disposal of solid waste to protect public health and the environment. Although the law aims for the closure and rehabilitation of all open dumpsites and controlled dumpsites in the country and mandates the LGUs to provide efficient, reliable, and universal collection services and environmentally safe disposal of wastes, only a few were able to comply with the mandatory requirement. There is still relatively low compliance with its provisions. According to most LGUs, the primary reasons include a low level of awareness of the people coupled with the high cost of investment in the establishment of a Sanitary Landfill (SLF) as a final disposal site for residual waste. The Region’s Sanitary Landfill in terms of number is seemingly high compared with other Regions. However, the majority of the facilities are exclusive for the use of host LGUs and disallow clustering. Hence, several LGUs cluster with private facilities. These private facilities are nearing their capacity.

Considering the limited number of private SLFs coupled with the increasing volume of solid wastes, it becomes imperative to establish a facility that allows clustering. This will significantly address the opening of illegitimate disposal facilities and the dumping of wastes in water bodies. This establishment of a Sanitary Landfill is in line with the Agency’s long- and medium-term goals and programs, specifically for the formulation and development of a comprehensive plan for the proper and sustainable waste management practice in the country household level and other waste generation sources. It will also provide an enabling tool to LGUs in developing their clustered SLF using various alternative technologies for waste management. This feasibility study is deemed timely as it will take into consideration not only the financial and legal aspect of the project but also the increase in solid waste generation as a result of population growth, economic activity, and product demand that would eventually require an advanced disposal facility in terms of technology.

The results of the proposed F/S should catalyze for the LGU to implement SWM in a holistic, economical, and efficient manner. The F/S should be able to determine the financial feasibility and the most appropriate implementation site(s) in the region and local and/or foreign technologies that can be adopted. It will serve as a possible proof of concept case to achieve an improved waste management system through reuse, recycling, composting, and other resource recovery activities by 2021.