DOE to review waste-to-energy tech; Tulfo backs concept

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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy committed on Wednesday to review the use of waste-to-energy technology in the country.

“Pag-aaralan po namin ulit kung ano po ‘yung mga kakulangan kung bakit ‘di talaga makapag-push ‘yung ating waste-to-energy concepts,” Energy officer-in-charge Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said during the Senate Committee on Energy hearing.

(We will study what is keeping waste-to-energy concepts from being pursued.)

According to Marasigan, waste-to-energy technology has a variety of processes.

However, the DOE said it is against direct combustion or waste burning as it violates the Clean Air Act.

“‘Yung simpleng pagsunog, medyo iwas po tayo riyan dahil meron po tayong tinatawag na Clean Air Act. So, kailangan po mag-comply tayo d’un. Hindi puwede pong direct combustion lang,” explained Marasigan.

(We are avoiding simple burning because we have a Clean Air Act. So, we have to comply with that. We cannot use direct combustion.)

“Kaya kailangan po mag-adopt tayo ng mga teknolohiya na bago and marami na po ang available sa market. Isa po sanang malaking tulong sa ating mga local government units kung sila po mismo ang magtatayo ng mag waste-to-energy,” he added.

(That is why we must adopt new technologies, and many are available in the market. It will be a great help to our local government units if they will be the ones to set up waste-to-energy technology.)

Senator Raffy Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy, supported the concept and said the technology could be an alternative to sanitary landfills.

“Kung mayroon na po tayong ganitong technology from waste to energy, mawawalan na po tayo ng problema pagdating sa mga landfill landfill na ‘yan. Plus, mga basura natin mapapakinabangan pa natin. I’m willing to support it,” the senator said.

(If we had this waste-to-energy technology, we would not have a problem with landfills. Plus, we will benefit from our garbage. So I’m willing to support it.)

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