Composting for scavengers at Inayawan landfill pushed

CEBU, Philippines – After the Environmental Management Bureau had pointed out that the city has violated the Solid Waste Management Act for allowing scavengers at the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill, a city councilor is proposing to divert scavengers to composting.

Aside from compost being beneficial to plants, Councilor Nestor Archival said scavengers would even get to earn more money, as the city would reportedly be willing to buy the compost at P5 per kilo.

Archival said there are 350,000 kilograms of biodegradable materials at the landfill, which can be utilized for composting. Having 70,000 kilograms of compost would generate P350 a day, he said.

Scavengers reportedly earn only up to P100 a day these days because unlike before, many households already segregate their garbage and the non-biodegradable or recyclable items have already been sold.

“There is money in garbage…even Michelle Obama has compost for organic gardening in the White House,” Archival said.

The landfill recently became the center of controversy after it caught fire last April 16 and continuously emitted smoke for three weeks that affected the health of residents leaving near the area.

The city has started the construction of roads for the entry of small trucks and the installation of 50 pipes and having a watch tower at the center of the landfill so it would be easier to see and monitor the whole area.

The University of San Carlos also plans to sample the water in the area to determine if there is contamination. The university also plans to create a new water system for barangay Inayawan. — Crischellyn Abayon and Queennie Estrella Kuebler, (THE FREEMAN)