Burning waste to produce power viable

Burning solid waste to produce electricity can be a viable solution to garbage management in the Philippines if trash collection and processing are improved, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The ADB said in a study that municipal solid waste processing and disposal remained a challenge in the Philippines, such that the uptake of waste to energy (WTE) as a proven solution had not been realized in the country.

“Despite a well-established PPP (public-private partnership) regulatory framework and a mature PPP market for municipal infrastructure and public services, potential business opportunities in WTE in the [Philippines has] not attracted private sector investors and financial
institutions due to numerous barriers, and thus remain largely unexplored,” the multilateral lender said.

The Philippines’ only operational WTE facility is the Payatas Controlled Waste Disposal Facility in Quezon City, which started in 2008.