‘Leaking wastewater an old problem’ –DENR

The release of wastewater from the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill in Cebu City has actually been going on for years.

Since its operation in 1999, the landfill, which was closed last April 1, has been discharging liquefied garbage into the sea, an environment agency official said.

Mar Tabuco, pollution control officer of the Dept. of Environment (DENR), admitted the agency hasn’t been able to keep close tabs on the city-owned facility and the discharge.

He said figures will be released when their sanitation engineer finalizes the report.

Cebu Daily News reported this Sunday that the spate of rains had increased the flow of leachate into the sea and that operators worry about the effect of the onset of the rainy season next month.

The extent of pollution of the Mactan Channel caused by the leak of decomposed garbage was indicted by DENR water quality tests in the last week of April that showed biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) exceeded regulatory limits.

Director Allan Arranguez of the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) said he would call Cebu City officials to a technical conference next week to solve the problem.

He said it doesn’t matter “how they do it.”

“What’s important is they comply with the law,” Arranguez said in an interview.

He said the priority is to ensure the wastewater quality passes government standards, not just the completion of a service treatment plant.

DENR-7 gave Cebu City until last month to build a new water treatment facility or pay a P10,000 fine per day. But the department moved the deadline to July.

Wastewater is supposed to pass through a settling pond, oxidation pond and treatment section before it can be released into natural bodies of water.

The 11.3-hectare Inayawan Sanitary Landfill, filled beyond capacity, received 500 tons of garbage daily before it was finally closed last April 1 to fasttrack the city government’s waste segregation program.

Councilor Nida Cabrera, who heads the solid waste management committee, said they allocated P11 million of a P150 million calamity fund to build the plant and would ask DENR for another deadline extension.

In Mandaue City, Mayor Jonas Cortes directed barangay captains to ensure proper garbage segregation in all 27 barangays.

Each barangay must provide large drums for residents to toss biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.

“We should take care of our surroundings,” said Baniland barangay captain Dianne Abanes who promised to set the example in their barangay hall.

She said they already encouraged resident s to learn backyard composting. /with Correspondent Princess Kathleene Gabunales