IN LIGHT of recent statements by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding the immediate passage of the “Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Bill” in the Philippines, the Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), firmly opposes this call. The President claims that WTE has evolved beyond waste management to play a critical role in flood control. We believe this claim is not only misleading but also dangerously simplistic, which fails to address the multifaceted challenges of waste management and urban flooding in the Philippines.
Highly Urbanized Cities in the Philippines currently grapple with significant waste management challenges which are being exacerbated by rapid urbanization, an increase in population and industries. The proposed WTE facility is being promoted as a solution to these problems, yet it overlooks the root causes and introduces a host of legal and environmental concerns that must be critically examined.
President Marcos Jr. suggests that WTE can be integral to flood control efforts, implying that converting plastic waste to energy could somehow alleviate the flooding issues in the Philippines. This view significantly underestimates the complexity of urban flooding, which is driven by multiple factors, including inadequate drainage systems, alteration of natural waterways, loss of wetlands due to urban development, siltation, and climate effects particularly increased in storm intensity, rainfall frequency, and sea-level rise.
Plastic wastes that clog our sewerage are not the only cause of flooding.
Many cities in Southeast Asia have WTE incinerators but yet are facing worsening flooding problems. For example, Thailand operates a 9.8-megawatt WTE incinerator plant at Nong Khaem district in Bangkok, which converts 500 tons of waste into electricity each day. However, in recent times, Bangkok’s frequency of flooding has increased with the rise in dew point temperature, affirming the increase in precipitation is associated with changes in the climate (Worawiwat et.al, 2021). A similar story in Bekasi, Indonesia, a 134.9-megawatt WTE incinerator is currently operating coming from wastes collected from Jakarta metropolitan. Bekasi until today is extremely flood-prone with poor drainage systems (Agustina, 2021). Last 2020, four people and thousands of residents were affected by severe floods that inundated 24 districts in Bekasi according to the incident report of the West Java Disaster Mitigation Agency.
This assertion from the President that WTE can contribute to flood control overlooks the constitutional rights of every Filipino to a balanced and healthful ecology. The potential health risks associated with WTE incineration facilities cannot be ignored. WTE incinerators emit a range of pollutants, including hazardous substances such as dioxins and furans, which pose significant risks to public health. These toxic compounds are known to contribute to severe respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. Due to atmospheric dispersion and regional air transport patterns, these pollutants can affect populations over a broad geographic area (Gullett et al., 2001), far beyond the immediate vicinity of the incineration facility. The long-range transport of these airborne contaminants underscores the importance of rigorous emissions control and monitoring to mitigate public health impacts (WHO, 2010). Such risks directly contradict the constitutional mandate to protect public health and the environment.
Incineration projects cannot come at the cost of residents’ health and well-being!
Furthermore, the President’s statements regarding the role of WTE in flood management contradict established environmental laws. The Philippine Clean Air Act and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003) emphasize the importance of sustainable waste management practices that prioritize health and environmental protection over incineration.
IDIS advocates for sustainable solutions to address flooding problems requiring integrated and coordinated actions in these four key areas: 1. Drainage Management, 2. Waste Management, 3. Flood Control, and 4. Citizen Participation. Rather than investing in Waste-to-Energy (WTE), cities should adopt a multi-faceted and sectoral approach to address flooding that would consider the following actions:
Improved Waste Segregation and Recycling: Strengthening enforcement of RA 9003 will ensure proper waste segregation and increase recycling rates, reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills.
Nature-Based Solutions: Implementing rainwater collection, permeable pavements, green spaces, preserving ponds and wetlands and other Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) can help absorb rainwater, effectively mitigating flooding while enhancing the urban environment.
Land Use Planning & Zoning: Strictly implement zoning policies through prohibiting the increase of settlements and housing developments at flood and disaster-prone areas
Enhanced & Maintained Drainage Systems: Investments in modernizing and expanding drainage infrastructure for stormwater and sewerage will directly address flood control.
Community Engagement and Education: Raising public awareness about waste management practices can empower residents to participate actively in reducing waste and improving local environmental conditions.
Collaboration with Citizens and Local Organizations: Partnering with civil society organizations to advocate and replicate more sustainable practices such as collecting and using rainwater, urban container gardening and zero waste practices can provide innovative solutions tailored to every city's unique challenges.
IDIS urges the National and Local Government to stop investing in WTE incineration projects and instead prioritize sustainable waste management practices that align with legal frameworks and truly address the needs of the community.
Together, let us advocate for a future rooted in sustainability and environmental justice, rejecting short-term and band-aid solutions like WTE in favor of comprehensive, long-term solutions that genuinely benefit our community and its ecosystems.
ATTY. MARK PEÑALVER
Executive Director, IDIS
ENP. LEMUEL LLOYD MANALO
Program Coordinator
