• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Experts projected that Bacolod City could require up to 123 hectares of land solely for garbage disposal in the next 30 years if current waste management practices continue without intensified waste diversion efforts.
City administrator, Atty. Mark Steven Mayo, disclosed the projection Oct. 8, following an initial presentation of the Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS) by SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV) to the Bacolod Solid Waste Management Board Oct. 7.
The study aims to determine the total volume and composition of garbage generated across the city to update Bacolod’s 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan.
Mayo emphasized that the 123-hectare figure serves as a projection, factored in the city’s projected population growth and economic expansion, of what could happen under a “business as usual” scenario.
“I would like to make it clear that this is just a projection of what could happen in the next 30 years if it’s business as usual and we rely solely on landfills; our requirement will reach as big as 123 hectares in Bacolod,” Mayo said. “That is something we must avoid, using available land spaces just for landfills.”
He added that the city government will use the data and figures provided by SGV as a reference for decision-making and to explore alternative waste management options.
“That’s why we have this WACS to explore other possible options or alternatives on what we can do so that we can avoid an entire landfill situation in the future,” Mayo added.
The SGV study began in July and concluded its initial data gathering this month.
The Solid Waste Management Board will convene again once SGV submits its final report incorporating the board’s feedback, recommendations, and strategic inputs. | TMD
