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Introducing Zero Waste to Batangas City

Last updated: May 12, 2022

Summary

Mother Earth Foundation, a Filipino non-governmental organization, is providing technical assistance to Batangas City Environment and Natural Resources Office to develop a zero-waste approach to solid waste management, including recycling, in 30 out of 105 inner city neighbourhoods in the city.

The project aims to recover at least 55 percent of waste through composting or recycling, and to have 90 percent of households practice waste segregation at source.

Problem

Batangas City generates 167 metric tons of waste per day, or about 0.50 kilograms per capita. The city manages a centralized waste collection system subcontracted with a private company, the Metrowaste Solid Waste Management Corporation (Metrowaste), which covers most parts of the city.

However, as many households reside too far from the truck collection routes, they have no access to solid waste management (SWM) services. This situation results in illegal dumping and trash burning.

Without proper SWM, the untreated solid waste (including plastics) will increase the pollution of local water bodies, such as Batangas Bay, the Calumpang River, and the biologically-diverse Verde Island Passage.

Solution

The Mother Earth Foundation will provide technical assistance to Batangas City Environment and Natural Resources Office to develop a zero-waste approach to solid waste management, including recycling, in 30 out of 105 barangays (inner city neighbourhoods) in the city.

Outcome

The project will aim to recover at least 55 percent of waste through composting or recycling, and to have 90 percent of households practice waste segregation at source.