ABOUT 350 local government units (LGUs) all over the country will face a case for their alleged violation of existing environmental laws such as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or Republic Act (RA) 9003, an environment official said.
This was stated by Undersecretary Noel Felongco for Solid Waste Management and Local Government and Indigenous People’s Concern, who was among the resource speakers at the first Negros Island Region Solid Waste Management Summit held at SMX Convention Center in Bacolod Cit, on Thursday, June 29.
For the first batch, 50 LGUs will face appropriate charge for violating the law by maintaining an open dump site in their localities, he said.
He did not say whether Bacolod City is included.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Thursday informed Felongco about the situation of the city’s dump site and sanitary landfill located in Barangay Felisa.
“He told me that the city has a sanitary landfill but was not properly used as to its purpose,” Felongco said.
He added that they will start monitoring the LGUs as far as compliance to the environmental laws are concerned, he said.
Felongco pointed out the need for everyone to go back to the basics in managing their wastes.
Segregation of garbage at source is one important thing that the barangays and the LGUs should emphasize to their people.
“This is a Herculean task but we need to start somewhere," he said.
Felongco said RA 9006 has rendered around 350 LGUs vulnerable of facing an appropriate charge for non-compliance of the environmental laws.
He added that the sanitary landfill is not even needed “if we go back to the basics because it is expensive.”
Based on segregation or waste characterization, 52 percent of the generated wastes are bio-degradable.
“If we collect the bio-degradable and put it into good use such make them into fertilizers or convert it into power, we are already solving 52 percent of our problem, Felongco said.
Recyclable wastes constitute 25 percent and the residual wastes such as plastics and sachets can be made into bags which can be sold here and abroad.
Others use it to make hollow blocks and other pavements, he added.
