RECYCLING FACILITY. Kidapawan Mayor Jose Paolo Evangelista (2nd left) witnesses the procedure of producing bricks from plastic wastes through the newly acquired machinery of the city government. The facility that will improve its solid waste management program started its operation on Aug. 17, 2022. (Photo courtesy of Kidapawan CIO)
KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato – The city government here opened Wednesday its own “waste-to-bricks” recycling facility to improve its solid waste management program.
Mayor Jose Paolo Evangelista witnessed the operation of the new pieces of machinery together with personnel from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), City Planning and Development Office, and other stakeholders at the PHP1.4-million facility's location in Barangay Magsaysay.
The machinery includes two units of multipurpose shredder, a plastic melting densifier, a mixer, and two units of the manual brick molder.
“This will boost our solid waste management drive and set a new parameter to utilize the garbage collected into something useful,” Evangelista said.
CENRO has been tasked to manage the operation of the facility and to assess further improvement to step up the utilization of the equipment in the future.
Under the city’s solid waste recycling program, the local government will buy recyclable wastes such as plastic bottles, papers, Styrofoam, and used cooking oil from partner establishments and local entities.
The processing involves the crushing and melting of waste materials that will be mixed with gravel to produce bricks.
“Recycling is important because aside from protecting the environment this can produce valuable material that can be used for construction and even for local economic development”, the mayor said.
In the city public market alone, the city collects some six tons of garbage daily. (PNA)
