Mayor: No open dumpsite, just residual waste area

Mayor: No open dumpsite, just residual waste area

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Mayor Oscar Rodriguez reiterated his stand that there are no open dumpsites in this city since he assumed office in 2004.

However, Rodriguez admitted that there is a “residual waste storage” in Barangay Lara where the city’s materials recovery facility can also be found.

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“There is no lie to that. That is not an open dumpsite. Those are residuals that we have separated from the biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez, also the president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, made the reaction after regional newspaper Punto! Central Luzon released a photo that showed tons of garbage stocked in Barangay Lara.

The photo’s caption reads: “The Big Lie. Continuous dumping of unsegregated wastes at the open dumpsite in Barangay Lara, City of San Fernando gives the lie to the denial of its existence by Rodriguez as bannered in Sun.Star Pampanga on Wednesday.”

Rodriguez said the City Government is only generating enough residuals for their partner Biosphere, a recycling company, before they totally dispose of residuals in Barangay Lara.

“We’re stocking up residuals there for Biosphere to eat up and turn into electricity because if it’s not enough, their operation might get disrupted. Once they started eating up residuals, it would be done continuously,” Rodriguez said.

Earlier, Rodriguez and Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan denied maintaining open dumpsites in their respective cities despite the closure order from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

Aside from the two cities, the closure order issued by EMB Regional Director Lormelyn Claudio included towns of Arayat, Floridablanca, Guagua, Mabalacat, Macabebe, Magalang, Masantol, Mexico, Minalin, Porac, San Luis, Sasmuan, Sta. Ana and Sto. Tomas.

As mandated by Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act of 2001, all open and controlled dumpsites should be closed immediately.

The law also requires all local government units to create an MRF and assist in the segregation of waste starting from the household level. (Charlene Cayabyab)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/mayor-no-open-dumpsite-just-residual-waste-area