Angeles City—The amount of domestic waste being collected from households has been increasing in the past weeks due to the strict home quarantine implemented by authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Waste collection and disposal has been identified as one of the essential services by the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), because the proper management of household waste becomes especially critical at a time like this, to further safeguard public health.
A study revealed that each household member produces at least half a kilo of garbage every day or three kilos for a family of six and 90 kilos for 30 days.
In Capas, Tarlac, Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation’s (MCWMC) engineered sanitary landfill maintains its operations, with more than 100 workers, drivers and helpers, as well as support staff, continuing to provide hauling and disposal services as well as accepting garbage at the company’s disposal site.
“Garbage collectors and waste disposal site workers are also frontliners,” said Vicky Gaetos, MCWM Executive Vice President. “They are on duty 24/7 to address the mounting domestic waste being disposed from different households cross Central Luzon.”
Gaetos said critical workers at the sanitary landfill have requested to temporarily stay within the site premises to ensure that disposal of household waste from LGU’s and industrial clients continue uninterrupted during the ongoing health crisis.
The company has taken all the necessary precautions and is strictly implementing these policies inside its landfill facilities. These include social distancing, regular disinfection and all other necessary hygienic practices.
Domestic waste if not disposed properly will expose residents to additional health risks, said Gaetos, at a time when people must do everything they can to stay healthy. She said garbage must be collected as soon as possible to prevent illneses in their communities.
Gaetos said that the Luzon-wide quarantine has resulted in more domestic waste, both biodegradable and non-degradable, and is contributing to the piling up of garbage in different towns and cities in the region.
“Hindi lang virus ang makukuha sa basura na siyang pinagmumulan ng iba’t-ibang klase ng sakit kaya minabuti ng MCWMC na ipagpatuloy ang pagkolekta ng basura upang makatulong at maiwasan ang pagkalat ng mga karamdaman,” she said.
Gaetos also assured the continuance of collection and disposal of garbage of municipal wastes for as long as their daily services remain unhampered, particularly at checkpoints along and within the boundaries of provinces in Central Luzon.
She expressed her thanks to local government units who sent their passes and to the members of the Philippine National Police who allowed unhampered passage to all garbage trucks that haul the municipal waste from the waste transfer stations and material recovery facilities.
“MCWMC assures communities in Central Luzon of our continuing services amid the enhanced community quarantine, and this time of crisis. We are ready to haul your domestic wastes,” Gaetos said.