MikeLigalig.com

By Adam Saligumba
Bohol Sunday Post

In an effort to become more efficient in handling and management of solid waste, Loon's local government unit sponsored a three day seminar workshop on Waste Characterization, Assessment, and Segregation (WACS) at the Loon Sports and Cultural Center on November 14-16.          

Loon Mayor Dr. Lloyd Peter Lopez personally spearheaded the training which was also attended by Municipal Councilors Ignacio Castil Jr. and Narciso Neri, chairmen of the SB Committee on Environment and SB Committee on Health, respectively; members of the Municipal Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM)Technical Working Group that included the municipal planning and development coordinator, Lawyer Rogelio Ganados, Municipal Engineer Noel Castrojo, Municipal Agricultural Officer Trinita Suello, MSWD OIC Conrado Montuya, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources OIC Sylvio Caresosa; members of the municipal ESWM IEC Team headed by ESWM Action Officer Engr. Allan Relator and the municipal solid waste collectors.

The barangay chairmen and secretaries of the eight barangays which are the pick up points of the municipal garbage truck also participated in the gab. These barangays included Moto Sur, Moto Norte, Cogon Norte, and Napo, all in the Poblacion area, and the northern barangays of Catagbacan Sur, Catagbacan Norte and Catagbacan Handig.

Based on Republic Act 9003, the objectives of the three day gab were to assess current practices of solid waste management in the municipality, select the most appropriate sampling plan for the survey of solid waste management practices including waste segregation and disposal, identify major solid waste sources and conduct on site waste characterization, appreciate and understand the importance of charactering and segregating solid wastes, and plan for the next series of activities in regard t o Me ESWM in Loon.

Classified into four kinds, solid waste included biodegradable, recvclable, residual and special wastes.

Biodegradable waste are those compostable materials such as food wastes, leaves, twigs, branches, chicken or animal bones and dead animals; agricultural wastes, yard wastes and wet paper and cartons.

Recyclable waste materials, which can be used again, included dry paper and cartons, metals (steel, silver, copper, aluminum, iron, brass), bottles, vials, broken glasses, plastics (PETs, PEs, thick PVCs, styrofoams), rubber (used tires, gloves, boots, mat and sheets) and textile trimmings.

Residual wastes are ashes and soot, dirt, tattered textile. paper and other packaging materials, laminates and used composites materials, used sanitary napkins and disposable diapers, and broken ceramics and other glazed materials.

Special wastes are those which are found in the household and are toxic and hazardous such as spent fluorescent tubes and bulbs, spent dry and wet cell batteries, expired medicines, drugs, and chemicals, containers of chemicals (paints, thinners and other solvents, acids, rugby, roof cement, grease and oil, cleaners, insecticides, disinfectants and sanitizers, etc.).

Also classified as special wastes are those which are bulky (used furniture, demolition and construction debris, typhoon debris, uprooted trees/plants, collapsed walls and roofs, etc.); white goods (large worn out or broken appliances such as stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers); and consumer electronics (radios, stereos, television sets, amplifiers, cameras, electric fans).

It was emphasized in the training that only residual and special wastes are to be collected each day by the municipal garbage truck for disposal in the municipal dump site. Every household in the municipal is required to make a compost hole or pile into which biodegradable materials are to be thrown and gathered. Likewise, every barangay is mandated to build and construct a material recovery facility (MRF) where recyclable waste materials are to be stored and segregated.

As a follow up of the workshop, a briefing on actual waste assessment, characterization and segregation of solid waste materials was conducted on Friday, November 23, at the Hayahay Hall of the municipal annex building.
Myra Trinidad, head of the Solid Waste Management Section of the Bohol Environmental Management Office (BEMO) facilitated the three day training. She was assisted by BEMO staff Jovencia Ganub and Fe Tandugon.

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