A major environmental problem threatens the city and 17 municipalities as the Alburquerque Sanitary Landfill is set to temporarily close for rehabilitation work which is badly needed after eight years in operation.
The 18 mayors will meet on Tuesday to decide on when the closure will take effect as Albuquerque Mayor Don Ritchie Buates admitted that leaking is inevitable if the rehab works are delayed. In fact, the rainwater outflow is now leaking to some arteries nearby the area.
“But the leaking is not that of the garbage waste,” he strongly clarified.
He said as early as October last year; he sounded the call to rehab the landfill to Rep. Edgar Chatto under whose auspices the landfill was established in 2017 with funding from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). He was advised by the solon never to effect the immediate closure of the landfill as it requires a lot of preparation on the part of the towns which will be affected by its temporary closure.
Tuesday’s meeting of the cluster board will discuss the “damage control” needed in the 18 areas which could no longer dump their residual waste as soon the rehab work will commence.
Mayor Buates deplored the continued denial of TIEZA to grant their request for additional heavy equipment to properly maintain the landfill after its operation in 2017.
“Eight years have passed, this landfill is not yet under the ownership of Alburquerque LGU,” the mayor revealed after TIEZA insisted to hold on to its ownership leaving just the operation and maintenance to the municipality.
A backhoe and a drum truck were all what TIEZA provided since its operation. In fact, the municipality has to purchase another backhoe to sustain its maintenance work.
The landfill can hardly accommodate daily garbage from 20 towns due to this lack of heavy equipment, he said.
CURRENT ISSUE
One of the current issues with the landfill is the leaking of leachate, which is no longer properly directed to the leachate treatment plant, instead flowing outside the facility. This is one of the main concerns that will be addressed during the rehabilitation. Buates clarified that contrary to what has circulated on social media, the leachate has not reached rivers or other clean water sources.
Additionally, Buates mentioned that the landfill’s waste is covered with soil, following the design of the landfill, which has not been implemented due to the lack of heavy equipment for daily operations.
Presently, the rainfall that goes to the landfill is leaking. but not the waste, he clarified
The current fee of P1,500 per ton as tipping fee needs to be increased in order to hike the budget for the proper maintenance of the landfill which accordingly nets only P8 million annually.
The proposed increase will be P5,000 per ton.
Buates likewise issued his appeal for the provincial government to resume its support for heavy equipment to help maintain the landfill operation.
IMPENDING PROBLEM
Once the landfill will temporarily close, the 18 areas, especially Tagbilaran City, Dauis and Panglao which have volumes of residual waste everyday will face a major environmental crisis.
The city which was ordered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to close its open dumpsite in Dampas will face a serious problem on its waste disposal which daily has 10 to 12 tons of residual waste.
Dauis and Panglao, with their volume of garbage will be at high risk in having visiting tourists, aside from the local residents noticing the serious garbage disposal problem once no proper collection resulting from the temporary closure of the landfill.
Buates said Tuesday’s meeting will decide on the start and the duration of the temporary. closure.
The Albur Sanitary Landfill is presently accommodating the garbage from the towns of Albur, Baclayon, Antequera, Balilihan, Calape, Catigbian, Cortes, Corella, Dauis, Dimiao,Lila, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, Sikatuna and the capital city of Tagbilaran. (with reports from Allen Doydora)