CEBU City’s Inayawan landfill site was closed for dumping as early as 7 a.m. yesterday, signaling the start of garbage delivery runs to the landfill site in Consolacion town.
Randy Navarro, head of landfill operations, said the collected garbage from the city’s northern and southern barangays were delivered to the landfill facility operated by the Asian Energy Systems Corp.
“The landfill is totally closed and we won’t accept any more garbage,” Navarro told Cebu Daily News.
About 10 units of 10-wheeler trucks deliver garbage to Consolacion town via the Pit-os-Talamban road.
Each truck can delivery 10 tons of garbage and make three trips daily.
Navarro said southern barangays dump their garbage at the transfer station located outside the Inayawan landfill gate.
The city is leasing the nearly one-hectare lot from Inayawan barangay captain Rustom Ignacio for use as transfer station.
Navarro said southern barangays prefer the use of the transfer station.
A trip to Consolacion town would cost them more gasoline and damage their already-dilapidated trucks.
“There’s no problem so far and we have complied with the mayor’s order,” Navarro said.
Despite the closure order, Navarro admitted that they have yet to complete the remediation measures required by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in closing the landfill site.
These include proper sloping of existing garbage, soil covering, methane gas disposal, repair of drainage canal and fence and landscaping.
Navarro said the city is considering new technology to convert existing garbage to energy.
Mayor Michael Rama said in an earlier interview that he wanted the landfill converted into a park.
An option is to use part of the area for a City Hall housing project.
Navarro said if Rama decides to build a park, they only need to cover the existing garbage with .6 meters of soil based on DENR standards.
But if a housing project is pursued, it would require removal of the existing dump, he said.
Since 40 percent of the existing dump consist of biodegradable wastes,
Navarro said it was unsafe to build structures in the area.
Biodegradable wastes decompose after years and could make soil in the area to sink.
Until then, Navarro said the city government would continue to implement its landfill remediation plans.
He said as of yesterday only landfill personnel were allowed access into the landfill grounds for maintenance works.
The 250 garbage pickers also relocated to the transfer station where they salvage usable garbage and sell these as recyclables.
“They can still earn at the garbage transfer station,” Navarro said.