INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is planning to put up a waste-to-energy facility inside the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone, with a study now ongoing to determine the feasibility of the idea.
A representative from the BCDA told the Inquirer on Monday that the study is being jointly done with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center in line with their goal of fostering smart and sustainable development.
In a separate statement, the BCDA said that the planned facility is intended to boost the power supply and serve the requirements of locators and investors in Clark.
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It said that it is also mean as a sustainable alternative to landfills, highlighting its significance amid the continuous increase in waste generated in the country and around the world.
“The BCDA is committed to adopting smart and green innovations to push for the sustainable development of our properties. Utilizing waste-to-energy technology, in particular, will modernize solid waste management and promote green energy, helping usher Clark’s transition towards a circular economy,” BCDA president and chief executive officer Joshua Bingcang said
Citing the World Bank’s 2018 study entitled “What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050,” the BCDA said that global annual waste generation is projected to jump to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050.
It emphasized that carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions from solid waste treatment and disposal, primarily driven by open dumps and landfills without gas collection systems, reached 1.6 billion tonnes in 2016, and is anticipated to increase to 2.6 billion tonnes by 2050.
“With waste-to-energy technology, the BCDA can do its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while also addressing the energy requirements of our community,” said Bingcang.
The BCDA said its waste-to-energy study will include site selection, as well as technical, environmental, social, legal, financial, and economic analysis for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility.
It added that once the study is completed, it will open the project for public bidding.
The government-owned and controlled corporation added that the project is intended to be structured and undertaken pursuant to Republic Act No. 11966, or more commonly known as the Public Private Partnership Code of the Philippines, and its implementing rules and regulations.