LAOAC, Pangasinan -- A PHP4.5-billion waste-to-energy (WTE) facility will soon be constructed in Barangay Inmanduyan in this town by Green Atom Renewable Energy Corporation, under the Rublou Group of Companies, despite the opposition of some residents.
Green Atom President Rex Recarro stressed that the proposed facility will be environment-friendly, converting garbage and wastes into a six-megawatt power generator, aside from blocks that could be used for construction.
“The waste will be transported via hauling trucks. We can assure that it will be contained, because the waste our trucks will be picking up has already been segregated by the towns’ respective Material Recovery Facilities (MRF),” he said in an interview Wednesday.
Waste materials that cannot be converted into energy will be pressed into construction blocks, he added.
Recarro clarified that the WTE facility is not an incinerator, but makes use of a thermal combustion technology, taking pride in its environmental-friendly campaign.
“We have been granted by the Department of Energy a bio-machinable energy operating contract for this project after numerous technical, financial, and legal reviews. We have also secured an environmental compliance certificate only for this facility,” he said.
“What’s best is this –the local government unit will pay nothing for the construction of this facility, and they can reap its benefits,” he added.
The facility, once operational, will be able to provide jobs for the residents, boost tourism, and the local government unit (LGU) can earn income with the tipping fee, taxes, and other dues, Recarro further said.
The local executive of this town has expressed hope the proposed waste-to-energy project here will continue despite the opposition of some residents amid the sixth public consultation initiated by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Committee on Laws and Ordinances, and Committee on Environment, together with Green Atom on Wednesday.
Mayor Silverio Alarcio, in an interview Friday, said the consultation was held in order for the residents to understand more about the project, correcting their misconceptions on the facility.
“All projects, not only in Laoac, face opposition. Normal lang ‘yan (It’s normal). But this does not mean that we will no longer continue to push through with it. Tutuloy po ito, dahil malaki po ang maitutulong nito hindi lang sa Laoac kundi pati na rin sa ibang mga bayan dito sa Pangasinan (This will push through because it will be a big help not only to Laoac but even to the other towns of Pangasinan),” Alarcio said.
Two years ago, the Sangguniang Bayan of Laoac passed a resolution stating its support for the project. The facility could be built only after the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) is revised.
“The facility will be situated in an agricultural lot, we need to convert it unto industrial via the revised CLUP,” Alarcio added.
Meanwhile, the SP urged the opposition to file a legal action if they really want the project not to push through.
SP Member Noel Bince, chairman of the Committee on Laws and Ordinances, said what they did was merely to initiate and mediate on the dialogue between the stakeholders.
“Hopefully, this would be the final public consultation. If the minority has objections on the proposed project, they should go to court and file a complaint. The SP merely mediated, and we have done our part,” Bince said.
He added that the SP may no longer be able to accommodate another consultation because there are other pressing matters that it needed to discuss. (PNA)
