Trillanes eyes use of incinerators to address garbage problem

Sen. Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV is pushing for the amendment of the Clean Air Act to allow the use of incinerators in addressing the worsening problem of waste disposal in the country.

Trillanes filed Senate Bill No. 225 to revise the law signed in 1999 in light of the "trashslide" set off by heavy rains in Baguio City that killed six people and buried homes below the mountain of garbage in Irisan dumpsite last month.

"Waste management has become an issue and has posed serious problems in the country," Trillanes said. "This means that waste must be properly disposed in manner that it will not become a significant environmental burden."

The senator said one way of dealing with the perennial trash woes is to allow the operation of incinerators in the country as he noted that existing technology has made it safer while at the same time produce the much needed electric power.

Although there are serious environmental concerns about incineration, advances in emission control designs, along with strict standards and monitoring system, have caused large reduction of pollution in the atmosphere, the young senator explained.

In Japan, Trillanes said, experts have made headway in emission control designs, and coupled with very stringent governmental regulations, have substantially cut down the amount of dioxins and furans emissions using this technology.

"This is suitable for use in the country since it is difficult to secure final disposal sites due to our becoming limited land space. It is estimated that when incinerated, waste shall be reduced to approximately one-tenth of its weight and one-twentieth of its volume," he pointed out.

According to Trillanes, this is an opportune time to repeal Section 20 of the Clean Air Act (Republic Act 8749) and tap incinerators as a viable waste disposal method and promote it to generate power under the waste-to-energy (WTE) technology.

"This technology provides for the safe disposal of waste without harmful emissions to the atmosphere, and at the same time, offers maximum benefits from the recovery of the valuable contents of the wastes from our cities," he said.