Baguio trash dumpsite stench ‘deodorized’ after studes, teachers complain

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The city government instituted remedial measures to contain the stench and prevent health hazards at the lot being used as temporary waste sorting and transfer station here in Irisan Limekiln.

This, following complaints of students and faculty of the Philippine Science High School saying they could hardly concentrate due to the nauseating smell. The dumpsite is around 20 meters from the school building. 

The city government is scouting for another relocation site for its segregation activities, city general services officer Romeo Concio said, adding if negotiations work out as planned, a new transfer site will be set up this coming week and the Irisan Limekiln site will be cleared of waste.

           

Concio said the city is disinfecting and deodorizing the site and additional manpower is being fielded regularly to monitor the movement of garbage to ensure prompt segregation and transport to sanitary landfill facilities outside the city.

            

Constituents of the Philippine Science High School Cordillera (PSHS) which has just transferred to the same area where the trash transfer operations are being temporarily undertaken by the city government protested the presence of the wastes citing health risks and discomfort because of the fould odor emanating from the waste deposits.

            

Mayor Mauricio Domogan assured the PSHS faculty and students that the city will do its best to address the problem. 

            

“It is a concern that we like to address but is it is unfortunate that there is no alternative site for sorting our wastes.  But we are doing our best at the soonest possible time to look for (one),” he said.

Meanwhile, Concio said the proposed waste-to-energy technology has undergone review by the National Solid Waste Management Council and the proponents were required to submit additional documents to fortify the application.

Concio said that based on the comments and notations made by the National Solid Waste Management Council (NSWMC), the proposed technology stands a chance of being approved if it complies with the smoke emission standards and requirements of the board.

Concio said the proponents are now fast-tracking the completion of the additional documents required by the commission.