New Carmen landfill to operate next month
DAVAO City's new sanitary landfill in New Carmen is set to operate next month, said City Planning and Development Office coordinator Engr. Mario Luis Jacinto.
The sanitary landfill project, financed by a P262 million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines, has been completed. The landfill was inaugurated last October 16, 2009, Jacinto said.
The parts left for completion are the roadways around the landfill.
The new landfill's facilities features installation of a leachate collection system; gas vents to extract methane gas to prevent gas build-up and spontaneous combustion; a weighing bridge, a covered wash bay, drainage system, water tank, deep well, pump house; and a greenhouse/nursery of plants.
As the new landfill is set to operate, Jacinto reminded that it is the people's responsibility to segregate waste to lessen the bulk of waste to be dumped into the landfill.
"There will be a continued waste segregation and recycling. We will strengthen our campaign but we remind the people that it is their responsibility to segregate, not the officials at the barangays," he said.
"The government's responsibility lies on making the people appreciate the benefits of waste segregation. Also, this will lengthen the new landfill's lifespan for several more years if we have lesser waste," Jacinto added.
Meanwhile, Jacinto said that a total of 291,714 654 or 8.57 of the total budget was allocated for the city’s environment.
Under the Solid Waste Management program, it was recorded that a total of 388,474 cubic meters of solid waste as of November 2009 was collected; an increase of 19.54 percent from 324,972 in 2008.
The City Environment and Natural Resources Office produced 4,171 sacks of compost utilizing biodegradable wastes from markets, slaughterhouse and industrial establishments within the period.
Under Environmental Management, 67,777 hills were planted within and outside mini-watershed areas of Barangays Eden, Suawan, Marilog, Carmen, and Tamugan, or an increase of 43.83 percent from 47,124 hills planted in 2008.
Areas put under rehabilitation totaled 207.5 hectares within watershed, riverbanks, and mangrove areas, including Barangays 5A, 8A, 9A, 10A, and Maa were planted with trees.
On the other hand, 3,005 mangrove seedlings were planted in coastal areas in Barangays Lasang Matina Aplaya and Bucana. (JCZ)