Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata reiterated her opposition to the implementation of the Waste-To-Energy (WTE) project and stressed its adverse impacts on the health and environment of the community in Barangay Biao Escuela, Tugbok District where it is proposed to be located.
In her privilege speech to the City Council on April 19, 2022, Librado-Morata emphasized that the proposed incinerator will negatively impact the health and environment of the residents of 20 barangays in Davao City as based on epidemiological studies in communities near WTE incinerators, toxic emissions could potentially reach those within the 10-km-radius of the facility.
She cited that the worst-hit barangay will be Brgy. Biao Escuela, an agricultural community with a population of around 3,000.
The proposed WTE will be located 2.2 kilometers from the Biao Elementary School and Biao National High School, and 550 meters away from the relocation site of displaced families in Catalunan Grande.
Other barangays within the 10-kilometer radius of the facility and thus at risk for air pollution are: Angalan, Balengaeng, Biao, Guianga., Callawa, Catalunan Grande, Langub, Los Amigos, Matina Biao, Mintal, New Carmen, New Valencia Riverside, Sto Nino, Tacunan, Tagakpan, Talandang, Tugbok, Ula and Waan.
“Alongside such possible adverse impacts on the environment and people’s health, WTE also violates the Clean Air Act, Renewable Energy Act, and Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. In addition, the Philippines has limited technical and financial capacity to regularly monitor emissions such as dioxin, furan, and other toxic WTE by-products. This lack of strict environmental standards and regulations covering air pollution, ash disposal, and water pollution could lead to unmonitored environmental damage and adverse effects on the public’s health,” she said.
In December last year, Librado-Morata manifested her opposition to the approval of the WTE facilities in Davao City due to the reasons that include WTE is known to cause health and environmental problems to surround communities. Incineration (or burning waste) produces pollutants that persist in waterways, air, and surrounding farms for decades; WTE worsens the climate crisis, and WTE is expensive yet produces minimal energy compared to genuine renewable energy resources.
“Instead of reducing waste at the source, it encourages the production of more waste to feed the facility. Likewise, this disincentivizes recycling and other sustainable waste management methods,” she said.
Librado-Morata also stressed that the project should wait for the Supreme Court decision regarding the WTE guidelines of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
She also cited a group of law students from the Ateneo De Davao University, Green Juris, that submitted their position paper against WTE emphasizing that the issue is inevitably connected with the need to uphold the right to a balanced and healthful ecology.
“More viable and sustainable alternatives are already ongoing in Davao City. Thus, we should continue towards implementing zero waste management as this is more healthy and environment-friendly and can generate more sustainable livelihood for our workers,” she said.
Meanwhile, in her recent State of the City Address (SOCA), Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city government of Davao is now partnering with the DENR to secure P740 million out of the P3.5 billion needed to implement the project.
The city government of Davao started exploring WTE as a waste management option about four years ago as the existing sanitary landfill nears full capacity.
