Talisay bans collection of electronic waste

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) head Edwin Nierves is reminding that the city will not collect electronic wastes such as used tires, body parts of vehicles, refrigerators, and computers.

Last Tuesday, their office received a memorandum from Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas to strictly prohibit the collection of these types of waste. He said ESWM has already been doing this earlier this year, even before they received the memorandum.

He explained that the classification of these types of garbage is non-biodegradable and that once these are disposed of in a sanitary landfill, the life span of the landfill will be shortened.

At least 110 tons of garbage coming from the city's 22 barangays are being collected and disposed of in the landfill daily.

The city government started operating the landfill located in Barangay Tapul in 2005. It has a total area of four hectares divided into three pans.

Garbage disposed in the landfill is composed of mixed wastes from industrial, market, and common wastes from each household.

Nierves said that they expect that the landfill will last until 2020.

But, he added, if residents are only responsible enough to sort their wastes at home and exclude non-biodegradable wastes, the landfill can last until 2025.  (FREEMAN)