Ongoing preparatory work for sanitary landfill at Calajunan

ILOILO CITY – Admitting that indeed there was a closure order for the Calajunan open dumpsite in 2007, two city officials incharge of the dumpsite said there is an ongoing preparatory work for the eventual conversion of the dumpsite into a sanitary landfill in compliance with the provisions of Republic Act 9003.

Landfill manager Engr. Neil Ravena and Engr. Raul Gallo of the General Services Office incharge of garbage collection here said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has given its approval for a five-year transitional period or until Year 2012 so as to give time for the city government to implement the gradual development of a sanitary landfill.

A sanitary landfill will cost the city government more than P50 million per hectare and the Calajunan dumpsite is more than 23 hectares, Gallo said.

Ravena said the city has contracted a loan of P90 million from the Development Bank of the Philippines some two years ago and the amount is being used for the improvement and rehabilitation of the Calajunan disposal site.

The projects include the establishment of a material and recovery facility (MRF) and a composting area inside the site under Phase I and the transitional disposal site under Phase 2.

Projects under Phase I include site development and utilities and are mostly completed. These include clearing of the garbage mound of 8,00 square meters, concrete paving of the MRF area, drainage system of 350 meters, parking and washbay, installation of water supply, construction of the admin building, and lighting around the perimeter area.

Also completed in the MRF and composting facilities are the storage area, 1 unit MRF module, 1 unit mobile strommel screener, 1 conveyor and 1 plastic shredder. Ongoing are expansion area of 375 square meters with ramp, curing area and compost treatment system.

Completed is the closure of 1 hectare old dump with covering and capping and on process are the leacheate collection and storage system, gas pipes, monitoring well and the social component.

Under Phase 2 work program of the transitional site, the completed projects include site development of about two hectares, site preparation and soil topping and lagoon leacheate recirculation.

Preparatory work for a sanitary landfill include an ongoing feasibility study with detailed engineering plan, construction of a perimeter fence of about 1,846 linear meters, construction of access road and drainage.

The social component includes the purchase of 2 bulldozer and compactor units, 1 unit backhoe and excavator and 1 unit payloader.

Gallo said that the projects currently being implemented at the Calajunan dumpsite will hopefully put to rest the complaint filed by the Global Legal Action on Climate Change (GLACC)-Iloilo Chapter and the Freedom from Debt Coalition-Iloilo Chapter.

The CLACC observed that the city has not complied with the provisions of the law on solid waste with the maintenance of an open dumpsite at Calajunan, Mandurriao despite the passage of RA 9003.

by Lydia C. Pendon