SUNSHINE AFTER THE STORM A Typhoon-Ravaged City Rises to Become Zero Waste

ZERO WASTE CITIES ASIA SERIES City, SUNSHINE AFTER THE STORM A Typhoon-Ravaged City Rises to Become Zero Waste

being added daily. Continued use the planned sanitary landfill would early flattened in of the site violated the country’s eventually fill up with mixed waste 2013 after solid waste management law, RA amid the city’s growing population. becoming ground 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste What would happen when they finally zero of Typhoon Management Act, because cities are ran out of space? It was clear that the required to end the use of dumpsites. city needed a more promising and Haiyan—the strongest N sustainable option. typhoon ever in recorded At the time, the city was providing history to landfall—Tacloban collection services for only 30% The Mayor of Tacloban City, Cristina City, a highly urbanized area of the households with an annual Gonzalez-Romualdez, had heard of budget of 80 million pesos [USD Mother Earth Foundation’s impressive in central Philippines, is well 1.5 million], most of which went to track record in supporting cities with on its way to becoming a Zero private hauling companies, leaving Zero Waste programs that meet legal Waste model city. most residents with no reliable waste requirements for waste collection and collection services. Residents in those separation. Thus, in October 2016, But getting on the road to Zero Waste sections of the city not covered by the Mayor Gonzalez-Romualdez and MEF was tough. Already burdened with collection services launched phase 1 of the waste problem due to lack of efficient sometimes Ecological Solid Waste waste management system, the city resorted to open Management Program suddenly found itself having to deal dumping and (ESWM) for Tacloban City. with massive wastes from the wreckage open burning, a wrought by the typhoon. Having to clear further cause for Two years later, the city the city of the debris from uprooted DENR scrutiny. was providing waste trees and broken buildings and The risk of fines collection services city- houses, among many others, the city for noncompliance wide. Decentralized and immediately filled up its dumpsite which combined with source separated collection should have long-ago been closed growing concerns of food scraps, recyclables, to begin with. about waste and and residual waste is plastic pollution rolled out across half of In 2016 or three years after the served as a wake- the city, accompanied by devastation, the local government up call for Tacloban community composting received a complaint from the City officials. sites. Even though the full Department of Environment and Natural source separation program is still being Resources (DENR), the Philippines’ Tacloban City sought affordable and rolled out to the rest of the city, the new environmental ministry. The city’s feasible options to expand waste system is already saving money: waste dumpsite in Santo Niño was collection services to the remaining to the landfill is down by 31%, leaving swollen with debris from the typhoon 70% households. Incineration was the city with savings of 21.6 million [USD and the waste of the city’s inhabitants too costly and hazardous, and 413,000] in the annual budget.

2 SUNSHINE AFTER THE STORM PAVING THE WAY FOR SWM Phase 1: October – December 2016

Prior to the implementation of an ESWM program, the city worked on establishing baseline data to give them a better understanding of the present situation. MEF conducted a survey on the residents’ awareness, practices, and perceptions concerning solid waste in all 138 barangays. MEF also trained 128 LGU officials to undertake a Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS), which entails examining the composition of waste using a representative sample, in this case 10% of households. These allowed the city to draw conclusions Mother Earth Foundation staff and volunteers conduct waste assessment and brand audit. © MOTHER EARTH FOUNDATION about waste-related behaviors and practices of households, including the One of the most important findings Generally, officials had misconstrued amount of waste and the different waste was that the sampled population had ESWM as impracticable and costly—a streams that the households produced. a lack of awareness of proper waste burden, in short. Their perception on management. Their understanding waste management was reduced as The study revealed that on average, on segregation, for example, was a “clean and green” campaign, only each resident generated 0.37 kg of waste mostly limited to separating high-value focused on removing litter. They saw each day. Urban residents behaved recyclables from other kinds of waste, their role starting with household waste differently than their rural and upland which are left mixed. Compliance on collection and ending with dumping. counterparts: they not only tended segregation was low, even though most to throw away more things, but also indicated they knew about the adverse Based on the city government’s produced relatively less organic or food impacts of improper waste disposal. data, the city’s total municipal waste waste. Their organic waste makes up One in ten respondents admitted they amounted to 175 tons per day in 2017. only 20.5% of their total waste stream. burned their waste and threw garbage in Waste collection was centralized and In contrast, for coastal, rural, and upland water bodies like creeks and rivers. Only outsourced to private haulers, who barangays, organic waste constitutes 26% of survey respondents were aware are paid depending on the number of 41.5%, 66.1%, and 59.8%, respectively. that the primary responsibility of waste trips they make from the households segregation falls on residents. to the landfill. Given that hauling costs Sorting waste into at least four around PhP1,100 [USD ~21] per ton, categories makes it easier to manage The preliminary study also exposed collecting the unsegregated waste for waste: by composting organic waste; weaknesses at the barangay level. the entire city would be expensive. If selling recyclable materials to junk Barangay officials’ level of awareness residents were to practice proper waste shops; treating hazardous waste; and of their roles and responsibilities on segregation and divert organic and transporting residuals—a fraction of total ESWM was found to be low. Barangay recyclable wastes, which comprise 62% household waste—to the city landfill. ESWM committees (BESWMCs) were of the city’s total waste volume, the Recyclable waste makes up 15% to either non-existent or inactive. Materials savings from reduced collection trips 32.5% of the city’s total waste volume. recovery facilities (MRFs) did not exist. would increase significantly.

Table 1. Waste Generation in Tacloban City by Area Cluster (in kg) Table 2. Household Waste Classification in Tacloban City by Area Clusters Average Waste Generation

Calculated based on MEF’s Tacloban City project data Source: MEF Q3 Progress Report

SUNSHINE AFTER THE STORM 3 meaning segregating their waste in their ESWM TAKES OFF own households. Phase 2 – January 2017 – September 2018 A few barangays had ESWM ordinances, but these were generic and needed The City Environment and Natural to be adapted to the local context. Resources Office (CENRO) oversees MEF provided officials with technical ESWM for Tacloban City. Seeing the support to revise or draft local need for a body that would actively ordinances on ESWM and establish involve various stakeholders and BESWMCs or Barangay Ecological Solid guide the implementation of the Waste Management Committees. The project, the CENRO created the City ordinances set out barangay-specific SWM Board. Since the success of mechanics of garbage collection, Phase 2 of the project hinged on the segregation, and MRFs, and authorize participation of the community, the barangays to levy user fees to cover the Board needed to start at the barangay costs of collection and MRF operation. level. Together with MEF, they targeted The committees prepared their the barangays left out of the regular respective action plans. collection services. They took on a multi-pronged approach, using policy SPREADING THE WORD instruments; information, education, and communication (IEC) campaign, and Once these ordinances were enacted, enforcement mechanisms. the next step was to spread the word. The government was clear: POLICIES No segregation, no collection. Over RA 9003 places the responsibility of the years, the CENRO had organized managing waste on barangays. It states workshops and forums for barangay that each barangay should have an officials to heighten their awareness MRF, where segregated waste is stored on ESWM and get them on board. The and processed accordingly: organic MEF staff with the cooperation of the waste, residuals, hazardous, and other BESWM committees ratcheted up the recoverable materials that have value CENRO’s efforts through an intensive in the resale market (like PET plastic IEC campaign. Each barangay devised bottles, which are commonly recycled/ its own IEC strategy. Some used the downcycled and fetch a relatively high public address system, broadcasting price). At least half of all waste should daily reminders, while others took to be diverted. Collection of mixed waste displaying visible signages with clear is prohibited. messaging. Others distributed flyers Waste collectors collect segregated wastes from a household in Barangay 77. and leaflets with clear instructions on Policy instruments at the local level how to segregate (Figures 1 and 2). is inconvenient or difficult. A typical give flesh to RA 9003 and provide monitoring visit for the MEF Tacloban a real opportunity for change. In The key element, however, was the team’s 11 community coordinators 2017, the City of Tacloban passed an household visits. By the end of the would consist of rummaging through a ordinance on Integrated Ecological second phase, MEF and CENRO had household’s bin and identifying materials Solid Waste Management, requiring reached 36,615 households. It was crucial disposed in the wrong bin. The staff residents to segregate at source, to dispel the notion that segregation would also ensure that households avoid

Figure 1. Poster explaining the different waste streams and how they Figure 2. Poster displayed by haulers indicating which articles are should be handled, as well as the fines imposed for each offense. classified as residual waste that they can collect.

4 SUNSHINE AFTER THE STORM Waste collectors collect segregated wastes from a household in Barangay 77. © MOTHER EARTH FOUNDATION

using plastic bags as secondary liners as well as PhP15,000 [USD ~288] cash center as a showcase for ESWM. It had for kitchen waste. These visits served assistance to barangays to help with a history of clogged drains and flooding as a significant one-on-one learning the initial set-up and construction as a result of unmanaged waste, but experience for residents, which also of their MRFs. thanks to ESWM, Barangay 74 was allowed them to ask questions directly transformed into a model barangay due from the MEF staff. Engr. Jonathan Hijada, The committees monitored whether to its cleanliness and efficient waste City ENR Officer, lauds this initiative: households were sorting their waste management systems and facilities. “Their system was more effective properly. Newly-trained environmental Visitors would see the barangay’s MRF because they went door-to-door.” police, meanwhile, enforced the ESWM and hear Chairman Nelia Malate narrate ordinances. Barangay tanods (village their Zero Waste journey through the IMPLEMENTATION officials) vigilantly patrolled their areas of sharing of knowledge and best practices AND ENFORCEMENT jurisdiction. They also had the power to during barangay assemblies and small fine residents who refused to sort their group meetings. MEF arranged these After the IEC campaign, MEF and the waste, starting at PhP300 [~USD 6] or study visits in hopes that by witnessing BESWM committees implemented a one day community service for the first the benefits of Zero Waste, other door-to-door collection system. For offense, up to PhP3,000 [USD ~58] or barangay captains would commit their the first time, residents in areas with three days of community service for the own barangays to the cause. narrow roads that are inaccessible third offense. to large dump trucks experienced Rap Villavicencio, MEF Project Officer, the convenience of at-source waste These enforcement mechanisms believes that such model-building not collection. The city government aside, the project had an inspirational only raises awareness on SWM, but distributed 52 pedicabs (bicycles with component. They selected Barangay 74 also gives people a glimpse of what is a sidecar attached) and plastic drums, (Lower Nula-Tula) located in the town possible in their own areas.

SUNSHINE AFTER THE STORM 5 Waste collectors temporarily store residual wastes in an eco-shed in a materials recovery facility in Barangay Sto. Nino. © ROMMEL CABRERA/GAIA

RESULTS barangays implementing decentralized collection, or a total 1.1 tons per day of recovered materials. Moreover, the compliance rate of waste When Phase 2 of the project was terminated at the segregation by households in participating barangays had end of 2018, it could boast of concrete victories, such risen to 63%. This is a great start, considering it took 2018 as a decentralized collection system for household six years for a Zero Waste model like San 2017 2019 waste in 64 barangays. The city succeeded in Fernando, to achieve a 2016 Jan 2017 - Aug. 2018 Feb 8, 2019 expanding their coverage of waste collection to 95% compliance rate. Tacloban Sept 2018 Pedicabs and more barangays, at no extra cost. receives a DENR plastic drums Sanitary landfill notice ordering Phase 2 - Full are distributed opens in Barangay 2014 implementation San Roque The diversion rate (the percentage of waste the closure of by the city End of Dec of ESWM Program prevented from going to landfill) for 64 barangays the Santo Niño government to Feb 12, 2019 2013 2013 to mid dumpsite barangays for rose from 10% in 2017 to 55% by the end of 2018. Tacloban City Partial closure November Feb 2014 MRFs Oct. 2016 government of dumpsite in To date, the city has managed to recover 200 trucks a day passes Integrated Barangay MEF invited by 384 tons of organic waste and 23 tons (Super Typhoon hauled MSW and ESWM Ordinance Santo Niño city government requiring of recyclables annually from 64 Yolanda) strikes disaster debris and 2011 Tacloban City, dumped in Santo Oct to Dec 2016 segregation at leaving massive source EMB demands that Nino dumpsite Phase 1 Tacloban City build death, destruction, a sanitary landfill and debris in its wake. 2009 CENRO begins its CENRO begins its city-wide city-wide information information campaign on campaign on proper proper waste management waste management

Santo Niño transitions 2006 from an open dumpsite to controlled access facility Sources: Kallnischkies, Thorsten. 10 March 2014. UNDP Disaster Waste Management Team. Environmental situation at Sto Nino Waste Dumpsite (UNDP) The rest of the city, meanwhile, has yet to adopt a THE WAY FORWARD decentralized collection and still relies on private contractors to haul household waste. Nonetheless, it Buoyed by its successes in the first and second phases of the project, the city plans a third phase to expand the Zero Waste program to other managed to reduce landfill-bound waste from 175 to barangays, as well as engage local businesses, schools, and universi- 121 tons per day—a drop of 31%. Moreover, Tacloban ties more meaningfully. City has committed to introducing Zero Waste programs in these areas in the next two years. To improve waste compliance, Tacloban City is committed to continuing its IEC campaign. It also plans to be stricter in terms of its enforcement. Engr. Hijada observes the increase in the number of While compliance has been high among participating barangays, it will legitimate junk shop operators, from a little over a take more time and effort to include the more commercialized areas dozen to at least 21. He attributes this to a greater in the city center. The current manpower needed to collect waste and number of households participating in segregation at monitor implementation will have to be increased to accommodate source. Pedicabs regularly roam barangays to collect the dense and still growing urban population. But above all, the main organic and recyclable waste from households. By challenge has been shifting mindsets and compelling people to action closing time of business establishments, light trucks with regard to proper waste management practices. called multicabs visit stores downtown to collect recyclables such as cardboard boxes. Tacloban City aspires to elevate its waste diversion rate to 95%. City officials and MEF staff are hopeful that Tacloban City, the only highly Beyond the numbers, there is a high degree of urbanized city in Eastern , will serve as a Zero Waste model for satisfaction and empowerment in the city and the the region. Hijada envisions a highly disciplined citizenry, where every communities due to what they have accomplished. household segregates and composts their wastes at source. At any rate, One barangay chairman cites the cleanliness of their the wheels have been set in motion. The City SWM Board, for one, has barangay as a direct result of the ESWM. Another strengthened its capacity to ensure ESWM’s sustainability. Finally, as mentions that the collection trucks are no longer full younger generations get older, they can continue the program’s legacy. because some of the discards are either composted or recycled in their MRF. For Villavicencio, the people’s openness to give Zero Waste a chance has made all the difference.

2017 2018 2019 2016 Jan 2017 - Aug. 2018 Feb 8, 2019 Tacloban Sept 2018 Pedicabs and receives a DENR plastic drums Sanitary landfill 2014 notice ordering Phase 2 - Full are distributed opens in Barangay the closure of implementation by the city San Roque End of Dec of ESWM Program the Santo Niño government to Feb 12, 2019 2013 2013 to mid dumpsite barangays for Tacloban City Partial closure November Feb 2014 MRFs Oct. 2016 government of dumpsite in Typhoon Haiyan 200 trucks a day passes Integrated Barangay MEF invited by (Super Typhoon hauled MSW and ESWM Ordinance Santo Niño city government Yolanda) strikes disaster debris and requiring 2011 Tacloban City, dumped in Santo Oct to Dec 2016 segregation at leaving massive source EMB demands that Nino dumpsite Phase 1 Tacloban City build death, destruction, a sanitary landfill and debris in its COSTS BEFORE ZERO WASTE PROGRAM STARTED wake. Hauling cost: Php 1,100 [USD ~21] per ton Waste generation (LGU): 175 tons Waste generation (HHs, MEF-WACS): 82 tons 2009 MEF data were taken from a sample of 55 households; LGU meanwhile collected its data from intercepted CENRO begins its CENRO begins its city-wide samples (collected waste inside trucks) city-wide information information campaign on ESTIMATED COST (YEARLY) campaign on proper proper waste management 175 tons: Php 70.2 million [USD ~1.34 million] waste management 82 tons: Php 32.92 million [USD ~628,180] ESTIMATED COST SAVINGS THROUGH THE ZERO WASTE PROGRAM 72% waste diversion (organics + recyclables) 175 tons: Php 19.67 million [USD ~375,343] Santo Niño transitions 82 tons: Php 9.2 million [USD ~175,555] 2006 from an open dumpsite to controlled access facility Sources: Kallnischkies, Thorsten. 10 March 2014. UNDP Disaster Waste Management Team. Environmental situation at Sto Nino Waste Dumpsite (UNDP) SUNSHINE AFTER THE STORM A Typhoon-Ravaged City Rises to Become Zero Waste Copyright 2019 Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives Unit 330 Eagle Court Condominium, 26 Matalino St., Barangay Central, City, Philippines www.no-burn.org | +63 2 436-4733 Facebook: @GAIAAsiaPacific | Instagram, Twitter: @zerowasteasia Author: Catherine Liamzon

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

GAIA is grateful for the contributions from Mother Earth Foundation and the City Government of Tacloban. The Tacloban City Zero Waste program is part of the Zero Waste Cities project — an initiative coordinated by GAIA Asia Pacific and funded by the Plastic Solutions Fund (PSF) and the United States Department.

This publication was funded by a grant from the United States Department of State and the Plastic Solutions Fund. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of GAIA and the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State and Plastic Solutions Fund.

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