As part of the solid waste management program of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to slowly transition into a full recyclable program of all types of garbage, the city through the Department of Public Services (DPS) and IPM Construction and Development Corporation made an initial delivery of around 1.5 tons of fruits and vegetables waste from Libertad and Burgos Markets to Fresh Start Organic Farm in Silay City on Saturday, April 1.
More biowaste will be delivered this week, a press release from the city government said Monday.
The biowaste will undergo windrow composting using a shredder and windrow turner machine provided by Bacolod-based RU Foundry. The compost to be produced after 21 days will be donated to urban farms in Bacolod.
IPM-CDC agreed that their personnel will do the shredding at the farm after a thorough segregation to ensure no plastics will contaminate the biowaste during the shredding process.
The city will also deliver about a ton of biowaste to Bahay Pag-asa in Brgy. Granada, which is run by University of St. La Salle for their composting program, Engr. Edmond Maceda, the SWM Consultant said. The local government is looking for other recipients to accommodate the volume of biowaste being generated at the markets every day, he added.
Efforts to reduce and eliminate single-use plastics are also in progress while the city is in talks to private companies such as Blastik Project and Rivson Goldplast Manufacturing Corporation (RGMC), on how they can help in the plastic recycling program.
DPS officials are also planning to visit Subay Marketing in E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, which was introduced by EMB Region 6 and is accepting all types of plastics, including styrofoam.
Meanwhile, Barangay 31 had recently launched its own version of the Trash to Cash Program where plastic waste will be bartered for kitchen items and school supplies.
This initiative came after their Barangay Solid Waste Management Team made an educational tour at the Blastik Recycling Program of PeacePond Farmers Association in Binalbagan last month.*