The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is urging local government units to pass ordinances directing barangays to implement waste segregation at the source.
Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and LGUs Concerns Benny Antiporda said cities and municipalities nationwide must focus on waste segregation at the source for the effective collection and disposal of solid waste.
He reiterated his call for an efficient and effective handling of solid waste in a recent dialogue with Cavite’s provincial, city and municipal environment officers organized by the environmental health group EcoWaste Coalition on March 3.
“Propose to your local council to create an ordinance that will act on those who do not practice segregation in their barangays,” he said.
“It is already stated in Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000), but let us strengthen it with the help of your council.”
Antiporda is also the alternate chairperson of the National Solid Waste Management Commission that recommended the creation of inter-barangay enforcement group or designation of environmental marshals in every barangay within a city and municipality to monitor solid waste management practices in neighboring barangays.
“Kindly tell your mayors to allocate funds for biodegradable and residual wastes,” he said.
Data from the Provincial Government-Environment and Natural Resources Office of Cavite shows that 58.78 percent of the waste generated in the province are biodegradable, while 28.19 percent are residual wastes.
Antiporda also commended the Environment and Natural Resources Offices of Trece Martires City and the municipality of General Mariano Alvarez for implementing environmental and ecological projects and programs that effectively address city and municipal generated wastes.