Residents boo officials, express displeasure over WTE project

Local

TENSION ran high when residents in Barangay Guba, Cebu City voiced their frustrations and booed officials during the second public hearing on a proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) project on Friday, Oct. 24.

The hearing, which gathered representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Department of Energy (DOE), aimed to address public concerns about the project’s environmental and health impacts.

City Councilor Joel Garganera explained that the WTE project had already been approved and signed in 2022 by then-mayor Michael Rama under a Joint Venture Agreement between the Cebu City government and New Sky Energy. The facility will burn household waste in a furnace, with steam power captured to generate electricity.

Garganera said that 800 tons of trash could power 20,000 to 40,000 homes, adding that all waste would be transported using compactor trucks to avoid visible garbage. He stressed that the project is different from a landfill and noted that other countries have adopted similar technologies.

“Frustration from the public is expected, pero ang waste-to-energy is a proven technology abroad,” Garganera said. “Kani na project makatabang sa Cebu para ma-manage ang waste while providing electricity to thousands of homes.”

DOST representative Engr. Imee Kassandra Cacho said the project aims to introduce modern waste management solutions in the Philippines, where such technologies are still rarely used. She emphasized that air, water, and sound quality tests had been conducted, and cited China, Negros Occidental, and UP Los Baños as examples of successful WTE or similar projects.

“Every country releases waste, ang pag-mitigate ang importante,” Cacho said. “Dapat mo-embrace na ta’g new technology under strict protocols to ensure safety.” She also assured that wastewater will be treated and reused within the facility.

From the DOH, Grace Devon Gevero said WTE facilities are not harmful to the environment, emphasizing that they produce no visible trash or foul smell. She warned that open landfills pose a greater threat to water contamination, assuring residents that water used in the facility will remain potable and safe.

DOE representative Lourdes Arciaga said that proper frameworks and permits are in place for WTE projects and promised that safeguards will protect residents and the environment. She cited Singapore’s four compact WTE power plants as models and mentioned Naga City’s facility, which converts biodegradable waste to coal and now powers nearby communities.

“There will be systems to capture harmful gases to ensure these do not escape into the environment,” Arciaga said.

DA Chief of the Integrated Laboratories Division Norma Repol acknowledged that sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are natural byproducts of WTE and can cause acid rain.

However, she assured that mitigation systems and adherence to the Clean Air Act would keep emissions within safe, allowable limits.

Despite the officials’ assurances, residents remained unconvinced, with several expressing frustration over ongoing issues at the Binaliw landfill, where garbage has reportedly fallen from trucks.

Garganera responded that the landfill was initially proposed as a materials recovery facility but was later converted into a landfill.

He added that the proposed WTE facility, if approved, would require at least five hectares of land for its full operation.(MyTVCebu)