Muntinlupa rolls out garbage trolleys for raildwellers

The city government of Muntinlupa City are putting to good use trolleys, or railroad dump cars by turning them into rolling garbage bins to be used by residents near the tracks of Philippine National Railways (PNR).

Muntinlupa Vice Mayor Aldrin San Pedro said the first of its kind project is part of the aggressive effort to comply with the national government’s waste segregation scheme.

Two garbage trolleys were set up yesterday in Barangay Sucat, where residents were strongly advised to segregate their garbage.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando, who attended the turnover ceremony, expressed support for the project, which he said was a big boost to the agency’s waste management program.

The Muntinlupa Environment Sanitation Center (MESC) also reminded residents of their schedule of collection.

Non-recyclable materials would be collected every Monday, Wednesday and Friday while recyclable wastes would be collected on Tuesday and Thursday.

Engineer Antonio Ponciano, supervisory environmental management specialist of the MESC, said the project was also in response to the call of the River Council of Laguna de Bay.

"They found out that one of the major pollutants in Laguna Bay was domestic waste coming from the area," Ponciano said.

He also revealed that previously there had been no means by which residents could properly throw their garbage. He said most resorted to simply burning their garbage, which is a violation of the Clean Air Act.

"The residents have been receptive and said they will cooperate. After a few weeks of monitoring this project, we will have an enforcement brigade to penalize violators of the waste segregation law," Ponciano said.

Under the program, collected waste will be brought to a transfer station and then to the material recovery facilities in Alabang or Tunasan.

City Hall officials said the MESC would be working with Environment Protection and Natural Resources Office, City Health Office, Lake Management Office, Alabang Public Market and barangay officials in implementing the project.

Ponciano said they also plan to implement the project in other barangays situated along the tracks, where garbage has been a perennial problem.

He added that they would be holding another meeting to come up with measures to sustain the project and impose a sense of responsibility among residents.