Cebu brgys put up facilities to segregate, recover wastes
MATERIAL recovery facilities (MRFs) are being established in several barangays in Cebu City to reduce the amount of garbage brought to Inayawan landfill.
Councilor Nida Cabrera said MRFs are in place in Barangays Mambaling, Sawang Calero, Tinago, Mabolo, Kamputhaw and Ermita and have been operating since last week.
She said the establishment of MRFs is long overdue. It is one way of prolonging the life span of the Inayawan landfill.
Cabrera said the establishment of MRF can reduce the volume of garbage from the barangay by at least 10 to 20 tons. “Puno na gyud kaayo ang atong landfill (the landfill is full),” she added.
Under Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, barangays are required to have a material recovery facility that will receive mixed waste for sorting, segregation, composting and recycling so that only the residual waste—those that cannot be placed in a compost or recycled—will be brought to the landfill.
The establishment of MRFs in the city, Cabrera said, will teach households to segregate their garbage.
Under the MRF program, every barangay will have an environmental office that will employ “biomen” who will collect organic materials from the households. Residents who will give one kilo of organic matter will be given one eco coupon worth 25 points.
Cabrera said residents who will accumulate 50 points will be given one can of sardines while those who have 80 points will get one pack of noodles and one can of sardines. Those who will earn 120 points, on the other hand, will be given one kilo of rice.
“This is to encourage them to segregate their wastes,” said Cabrera.
Barangays can tap the P20,000 seed money given by the City Government for the implementation of the MRF to buy the incentives. The giving of incentives will only be conducted for two months, enough time for the barangays’ facility to produce organic fertilizer from the compost and turn it into an income-generating activity.
She said after two months, the City will buy the organic fertilizer produced by the barangays’ composts.