Strengthened waste policies sought

CEBU, Philippines — The Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) has appealed to the Cebu City Council to elevate legislative measures for strengthened waste policies, including the implementation of composting among households and incentive schemes.

In the most recent regular session of the council, the SWMB transmitted a letter requesting legislative support for the city’s solid waste management program. The letter was signed by Maria Emma Ramas, alternate chairwoman of the board.

In their letter, it was stated that the call for support was in line with their thrust to strengthen the city's solid waste management system and incorporate national policies into their environmental goals.

The SWMB outlined several proposals in the letter. Among these is the amendment of Ordinance 1361, also known as the Anti-Littering Ordinance. They proposed a review of the ordinance to make it more relevant to current times and to clearly outline responsibilities in maintaining cleanliness for waste management in every household, private establishment, and institution.

They also called for an amendment to Ordinance 2031, also known as the "No Segregation, No Collection" policy. They recommended reinforcing its implementation by introducing a system of merits and demerits to further encourage compliance.

They further proposed that the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan, particularly those aspects related to solid waste management, be made mandatory rather than optional.

They also recommended that solid waste management be treated legally and operationally not merely as a “public service”, but as a vital environmental concern.

The SWMB also called for mandatory composting, while allowing the option to outsource these services. According to them, this aligns with the continuing advocacy for provisions mandating that all households, private establishments, and institutions implement composting.

In parallel to this, for those unable or unwilling to compost, the SWMB proposed an option to contract the services of duly-accredited composting providers.

“This will reduce organic waste significantly while promoting local composting enterprises,” they said.

Furthermore, the SWMB called for the integration of waste facilities into building and subdivision plans. To achieve this, they recommended requiring the Office of the Building Official to mandate the inclusion of a Materials Recovery Facility and composting facility in the design of new buildings applying for a building permit.

Similarly, they requested that the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development include the same requirements in the design of subdivisions applying for a development permit.

Finally, the SWMB requested the introduction of an incentive scheme for barangays that successfully implement solid waste diversion programs. This aims to reduce the volume of waste delivered to landfills and lower the city's budget for collection and disposal activities.

The same incentive scheme was also proposed for innovations in the private sector.

“These proposed measures are necessary steps to address our growing waste management challenges while advancing our city's environmental agenda,” the SWMB further said. (CEBU NEWS)