Waste-to-energy facility pact to be signed

By Jereco O. Paloma
Friday, September 16, 2011


THE City Government of Davao and Herhof are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will pave the way for the construction of the German company's waste-to-energy facility in the metropolis.


Davao City Councilor Marissa Salvador-Abella, chair of the City Council committee on environment, told Sun.Star Davao Friday that prior to the MOU signing, the proposal of the German firm will have to be discussed in the plenary for second reading.


Abella said the MOU has yet to be signed since some important points are still being deliberated between the two parties.


"There's no signatures yet. It is still being fine-tuned before transmittal to the City Council for approval," Abella said.


Abella said the local lawmaking body will pass a resolution or ordinance allowing Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to enter into a contract with Herhof.


During the Friday's public hearing on the firm's proposal, Abella said the City Legal Office explained on the need to come up with an MOU. Herhof also answered all the questions pertaining to the MOU.


Abella said that by Monday, the final draft of the MOU might probably be released.


The technology that Herhof is offering to the city is a form of a partnership wherein the main counterpart of the city is the area where the facility will be built. The city will not be spending any of its funds to the project.


Mayor Duterte earlier said that one of the main reasons she is interested in the project is she wanted to prolong the lifespan of the multi-million landfill of the city in Marilog District.


The mayor said there must be a procedure that garbage must go through before it reaches the city's landfill.


She said Herhof's entire project would cost at least US$1 billion.


Duterte added she is hopeful that the entire project would push through before her term ends.


"The Herhoff method, effectively separates municipal solid waste into glass, a mineral fraction, metals (ferrous and non-ferrous), batteries, and fuel pellets (referred to as stabilate)," wrote John Nicholson, management consultant of Environmental Business consultants based in Toronto, Ontario in Canada in one of his articles published at the website of solidwastemag.com.


He said Herhoff or Dry-Stabilate method is somewhat unique because it can separate various forms of waste into recyclable/reusable components and fuel without having the need to pre-sort the raw garbage. It also leaves no garbage that will be dumped into landfill.