The transformation of Irisan dumpsite

Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act was passed into law in 2001. This law states that we are given five years to make the transition from using open dumpsites and have in place programs for proper waste disposal. The five years provided by law passed (2005) and the Irisan dumpsite had to be closed down without the city having any programs in place.

In 2007, under the administration of Peter Rey Bautista, programs for proper waste disposal were finally put into place. Despite the disapproval of the City Council, Bautista ordered the collection of garbage to avoid another health and environmental crisis. It was also under his administration that the 10-year Development Plan for Ecological Solid Waste Management was passed into law.

In these first three years since the law was passed, part of the closure plan for the Irisan dumpsite which commenced in 2007 was to attain a slope for the garbage dump which is safe and will not cause a garbage landslide. Riprappings were done to secure the area and contain the garbage. The areas had to be filled so that the desired safe slope will be attained.

The in-filling which started in October 2009 was able to achieve not just a conversion of the garbage-filled facility to a near vegetated facility but has also given the city savings of more than P4 million in the year 2009 and an expected savings of P24 million for 2010. This savings came from the budget allocated for the hauling of garbage to Capaz, Tarlac from October to December of 2009.

The in-filling of the dumpsite area was given a formal endorsement by the National Solid Waste Management Committee (NSWMC) in 2009. The present in-filling activities being undertaken as part of the closure plan is almost complete.

Without compaction at the dumpsite, where the dump is expected to be loose, the hauling of garbage to Capaz will commence after April 30. With compaction however, which occurs naturally during the rainy season, the city needs to do additional in-filling where the daily collection will be placed as allowed by the NSWMC. This occurrence will mean even more savings for the city.

Aside from the in-filling, the leveling of the top portion is also being done which will be vegetated afterwards. A perimeter fence will also be constructed to protect he facility and to prevent the spillover of garbage outside the facility.

After the completion of the closure program, the Irisan dumpsite will be fully utilized as a transfer station for trash while the city government is working on locating an area for an Engineered Sanitary Landfill (ESL). It will also be utilized as the central Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) of the city.

These are the steps that have been quietly taken under the administration of Peter Rey Bautista to comply with specifications of RA 9003 and to ensure a healthy a healthy environment.