PILAR LGU to enter into a MOA with a Korean firm for the establishment of an Integrated Sanitary Land Fill and Material Recovery Facility

By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY , SEPTEMBER 9 (PIA)…. A memorandum of agreement (MOA) is now on the process of review and consultation, submitted by the Local Government of Pilar to the Department of Environment and Natural Resource (DENR), RO 5 for comments and suggestions in the hosting of an integrated sanitary  landfill (ISL)  and material recovery facility  (MRF) with a Korean firm, the Pilar Jeong Sol Green Technology Limited (PJSGTL).

In a dialogue with Mayor Dennis Reyes of Pilar town, during the 3^rd quarterly meeting of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board last week, together with  Vice Mayor Celso Lao, Jr.  and several members of the Sanggunian Bayan, the desire to push through this project , according to them is borne out of the requirement of the DENR that each local government unit must have a sanitary landfill and material recovery facility under the RA 9003 of 2000 otherwise known as Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

“For a local government like Pilar, whose internal revenue allotment is not enough to finance the establishment of a sanitary landfill since it is very expensive and like us with our budget so meager, it will be very difficult to comply with this RA 9003”, Mayor Reyes said.

“In consultation with the members of the Sanggunian Bayan we have to look for alternative source on who can assist us finance this kind of requirement and at the same time generate jobs and add on income for Pilar”, he said.

The proponent, PJSGTL will undertake the design, finance construction and management of the ISL and MRF according to Mayor Reyes.

According to Reyes, a 30 ha lot will be purchased by the proponent for the establishment of the ISL . In the MOA all stipulated agreements between PILAR LGU and the proponent will be reviewed by DENR.

The ISL and MRF as Pilar LGU intends to pursue will also provide the proponent shipment of scrap materials that can be processed within the MRF and will again be shipped for export to other countries.

Some issues on the agreement where already raised to the several persons concerned during the meeting with Mayor Reyes.

 A very clear provision on the MOA is that no prohibited wastes as stated in article 5 of the MOA be allowed specially pathological wastes, wastes and by products from clinics, laboratories, hospital and other similar sources.

It was also stipulated in the MOA that industrial wastes specially those that are toxic and containing hazardous substances will not be allowed and there will be strict inspection on what kind of wastes will be brought to the ISL.

The materials to be processed in the MRF were well identified in Article 4 of the MOA and according to Mayor Dennis all provisions of the DENR will be strictly followed.

In the MOA, the MRF will only be operating on the following: as paper bailing press that will serve as the scraps paper bonding press, pelletizer of the recyclables plastics, injection moulding machines, can compactor for beer, soft drink cans and other similar items, food waste composting facility, incinerator  and sanitary landfill.

According to Mayor Reyes the agreement will be valid within 25 years and the economic benefit will have a 15% of the gross income for the LGU and the continuous development within the area including employment and infrastructure development that will ensure environmental protection.(PIA-SORSOGON)