Palompon's new materials recovery facility uses DOST's bioreactor tech

PALOMPON, LEYTE, Philippines  — The local government here has constructed a materials recovery facility using the much-talked about DOST-developed bioreactor to solve the town’s problem on waste management and disposal.

The MRF, partly-funded by the Leyte provincial government, also features a plastic shedder machine and plastic recycling oven that recycles low-grade plastic wastes into another materials.

Mayor Ramon Oñate said the MRF complies with the provisions of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Wastes Management Act of 2003.

The MRF’s 500-kg bioreactor processes the town’s biodegradable wastes and market garbage, and converts these into usable farm inputs or organic composts reducing the volume of landfill disposal.

The bioreactor can produce an average of 2.5 tons of composts every month and this may be sold to local farmers. An average of 2.5 tons of compost are being produced every month and is sold at P4/kg to local farmers, a report from the PIA stated.

The bioreactor’s operation has low energy cost, does not emit foul odor, while significantly reduces solid problems on biodegradable wastes, added the report.

According to the DOST-8, the bioreactor technology involves a device that converts biodegradable solid wastes—comprising 52 percent of the town’s daily wastes—into compost that could be used as fertilizer for vegetable crops.

Technology adopters will acquire the device from an accredited fabricator and the designated operator will be trained on the technology, complete with training manual and a certificate. —(FREEMAN)