March 29, 2024

A Davao-based company is offering its services to the city government to lessen the volume of plastic wastes being hauled out to a sanitary landfill outside Baguio.

During the executive and legislative meeting of the city officials on Oct. 7, Envirotech Waste Recycling representative Janet Martin said the company collects plastic waste and converts these into school chairs and desks.

She said the firm has introduced the technology to the local government units of Candelaria, Zambales and in Las Piñas City which were later adopted.

Thirty kilos of soft plastic is equivalent to one school chair with desk, Martin said.  Each chair costs about P1,700 with a 20-year warranty with free replaceable parts. The chairs and desks were tested and found to have 42 parts per million lead content but no trace of mercury, Martin said. She added that Envirotech can buy back the end product if requested.

Five different machines will compose a set of the technology with the capacity to process 60 to 90 tons of plastic waste in a month. Martin said the technology can process around two tons of plastic in a day.

To set up the machines, a land area of at least 2,000 square meters is needed and will be ready in three months including the training of city personnel to handle the operation and management.

Martin said the technology costs P12 million and can be acquired by the city through direct purchase or through private-public partnership scheme.

General Services Officer Eugene Buyucan said a feasibility study is needed to ensure viability of the proposed venture considering that the city is now enforcing a plastic ban.

“We have 180 tons of residual waste on a daily basis but only 30 percent or less of this is plastic,” Buyucan explained. This amount of non-biodegradable waste is being transferred daily to a sanitary landfill in Capas, Tarlac by a private hauler commissioned by the city government.

Buyucan also suggests that the proponent look into the waste analysis and characterization study of the city to ensure return of investment both for the company and the city.

Buyucan said Envirotech’s proposal can be incorporated in the Materials Recovery Facility but said this should be set up outside the city.

Patricio Evangelista, who served as senior citizen mayor for-a-day, suggested that city officials visit the projects of Envirotech in Las Piñas City and Zambales. – Jessa Mardy Samidan