Barangay chiefs must mobilize solid waste segregation – NSWMC official

QUEZON CITY, September 8 (PIA) — The barangay chief must not be idle, he or she must take initiative in mobilizing and monitoring its constituents, particularly every household, in practicing garbage segregation and collection.

During the latest edition of “Talking Points” radio program aired over Radyo ng Bayan and People’s Television-4, National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWM) Deputy Executive Director Eligio Ildefonso said, “Others (barangays) still rely on the local chief executive (Mayor) when it comes to solid waste problems. Barangays are not really moving… They should mobilize in making solid waste management more manageable.”

He said, however, that there are barangays that are already implementing garbage collection schedules for non-biodegradables and biodegradables, while some have issued a “No Segregation, No Collection” policy.

This means the garbage collectors will only collect the segregated ones. Through this, households will then be motivated to do segregation, or other alternative ways to dispose garbage properly. Examples of alternative ways are composting, and putting up a disposal facility for other wastes categorized as ‘residual’ (i.e. sanitary napkins, shampoo sachets), and materials recovery facility for the recyclables.

“The recyclable wastes are not considered wastes at all, but resources,” said Ildefonso.

Moreover, according to Idelfonso, “There had been frustrating feedback from the residents a year after Republic Act No. 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) was implemented. They say segregated wastes were thrown together in the truck’s bin, and it was frustrating. That is why it is imperative that the garbage must also be collected separately on different days.”

Idelfonso also underscored the importance of having a committee composed of multi-sectoral organizations and civic leaders mandated to marshal ecological wastes in the barangay level.

“Under the law, there must be a visible Barangay Solid Waste Management Committee which is empowered and focused on its constituents to implement the proper segregation of solid wastes, proper way of creating compost pit, proper storage of resource materials which we call materials recovery facility in every barangay. It is mandated by R.A. No. 9003—that all barangays should have materials recovery facility,” said Ildefonso.

“Barangay Solid Waste Management Committee is headed by the barangay chairman, and the rest of the members are from non-government organizations, academe, religious groups, and youth among others. All of them can be mobilized in the barangay,” Idelfonso added.

He revealed that the daily garbage generation of the 94 million residents in the country can reach an average of 40,000 to 45,000 tons, while Metro Manila alone can reach an average of 8,200 tons.

He said further, NSWM continuous to mull on alternative ways to solve the solid waste dilemma to prevent flooding and congestion during rainy season. (PIA-CALAPAN CITY)

Tags: Barangay, PIA, Solid Waste Management