Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez led the groundbreaking of what he called a pioneering P160 million comprehensive waste management project for Bacolod City, which will serve as a showcase for the entire country, on Wednesday, March 12.
The Bacolod Recovery and Recycling Complex and Ecopark – Phase I in Barangay Felisa will mitigate environmental impact, enhance resource recovery, and support a circular economy, he said.
The 33.13-hectare facility will house a mechanized Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to process biodegradable waste such as food and yard wastes, recyclables like plastic, glass, paper, and metal, reducing landfill waste and driving us toward a circular economy, Benitez said.
The segregated waste will be recycled by business locators who are expected to put up recycling plants in the area, he said.
Benitez said the very first locator has expressed interest in putting up a black fly farm, an innovative and sustainable method for waste management and protein production.
This approach involves breeding and raising black soldier flies, a species known for their efficiency in converting organic waste into high-quality protein, he said.
Organic waste accounts for 38 percent of the city’s garbage , which through black fly farming, can be converted into fertilizer and animal feed, he said.
Benitez said the city government can also use the animal feed produced to ensure that rescued stray dogs are properly fed for healthy lives.
Benitez expects more locaters to also put up recycling plants at the Felisa site.
The city government will also offer incentivized sorting for Bacolod residents.
Benitez, who led the groundbreaking ceremony with Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and other city officials, said “our vision for a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable Bacolod is finally coming to life”.
Ma. Fe Trespuentes, head of Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office, said Bacolod generates an average 577 tons of garbage a day, 400 tons of which enters the city’s sanitary landfill daily.
Edmond Maceda, the city’s special adviser for solid waste management and sustainability program, said the facility will be a game changer.
“We are changing the game from collect and dump in Felisa to collect, divert, process, recover, reuse and recycle”, he said.
“It connects three things –environmental protection, social responsibility and economic prosperity,” he said.
Councilor Kalaw Puentevella, Sanggunian Committee Environment and Ecology chair, will revolutionize environmental efforts and secure a sustainable future in terms of reducing waste by recycling it to promote a circular economy.
Puentevella has introduced an ordinance on first reading for the establishment of the Bacolod Recovery and Recycling Complex and Ecopark to institutionalize its operation and management.*