The Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) is strongly opposing recent suggestions from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to amend Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, to allow incineration or “waste-to-energy” technologies.
IDIS stressed that amending the law at this stage would be premature and environmentally risky.
DENR recently announced that it is open to revising the country’s solid waste management law, pledging a comprehensive review of its implementation in the wake of the deadly landfill collapse in Cebu.
DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla stated that Republic Act (RA) 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, remains fundamentally sound since its enactment in 2000, but he acknowledged shortcomings in how it has been implemented and noted that evolving circumstances call for a more thorough reassessment.
“RA 9003 was designed to shift the Philippines from disposal-oriented methods to sustainable waste management practices, including segregation at source, recycling, composting, and reuse, and most of these measures have yet to be fully implemented nationwide,” IDIS said.
IDIS noted that failures in waste management stem from weak implementation, lack of political will, and underfunded local systems not from shortcomings in the law itself.
“Allowing incineration, the group warned, would only address symptoms while diverting public resources from proven, low-cost, community-based solutions,” it said.
IDIS also highlighted serious environmental and health concerns.
“Even modern incineration produces toxic emissions and hazardous ash, posing long-term risks especially in urban poor communities where facilities are often located,” IDIS said.
The group further criticized the DENR and the National Solid Waste Management Commission for not yet publishing the mandated list of Non-Environmentally Acceptable Products (NEAPs), which is essential for the law’s full enforcement.
“Investing in incineration threatens both communities and the livelihoods of over 100,000 informal waste workers, while centralizing waste management in private, capital-intensive facilities,” the statement said.
IDIS urged authorities to focus on stricter enforcement, proper planning, and full implementation of RA 9003’s ecological principles rather than weakening them.
The organization called on DENR, lawmakers, and local governments to uphold the incineration ban, implement zero-waste, climate-safe programs, and protect both public health and the rights of waste workers.
“Incineration is not progress. Ecological and people-centered waste management is,” IDIS concluded.
