- Group says PBBM’s waste-to-energy push dangerous, won’t address city’s flood problem
ENVIRONMENTAL group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) openly opposed the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fast-track the passage of the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Bill.
In a statement on Oct. 3, the group said that WTE won’t address waste management challenges and urban flooding in the country.
IDIS also said the President’s claim that WTE plays a critical role in flood control is “not only misleading but also dangerously simplistic.”
“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,” the group said.
During the 6th Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting at the Malacañan Palace, Mr. Marcos said the WTE measure is an “important discussion in flood control” hence the immediate passage of the bill.
According to a press release by the Presidential Communications Office on Sept. 25, the bill was approved on third reading by the House of Representatives. However is still pending for the second reading at the Senate.
IDIS added the view underestimates the complexity of urban flooding, caused by factors such as but not limited to 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 the sewerage, the group said, are not the only cause of flooding. It added a number of cities in Southeast Asia have WTE incinerators yet continue to face worsening flooding problems.
They cited for example the case in Thailand where the operation of a 9.8-megawatt WTE incinerator plant at Nong Khaem district did not completely solve its flooding problem.
The incinerator converts 500 tons of waste into electricity each day, but 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.”
Similarly, a case in Bekasi, Indonesia where it is operating a 134.9-megawatt WTE incinerator collecting wastes from Jakarta metropolitan. However, as per a 2021 study, Bekasi today is extremely flood-prone with poor drainage systems.
The flooding that inundated 24 districts in Bekasi in 2020 affected four people and thousands of residents, according to the incident report of the West Java Disaster Mitigation Agency.
Not only that, IDIS said, the potential health risks associated with WTE incineration facilities must not be ignored.
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 hazardous substances such as dioxins and furans, which are known to contribute to severe respiratory and cardiovascular disorders.
“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,” it said.
The group added that WTE violates the Philippine Clean Air Act and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003), which provides the significance of sustainable waste management practices that prioritize health and environmental protection over incineration.
IDIS called on the national and local government to prioritize sustainable waste management practices that “align with legal frameworks and truly address the needs of the community.”
The group cited practices including improved proper waste segregation and increased recycling rates; implementing rainwater collection, permeable pavements, green spaces, preserving ponds and wetlands and other Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS); strictly implementing zoning policies; raising public awareness about waste management practices and partner with civil society organizations to advocate and replicate more sustainable practices.
The Waste-to-Energy Bill is among the list of approved priority bills for passage before the end of the 19th Congress.
