Feasibility study to start soon
A European consultancy firm contracted to do a feasibility study on the proposed waste-to-energy facility at the Inayawan landfill is set to start the groundwork early next month.
Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office head Nida Cabrera said that Mott MacDonald will probably start the work on the first week of January 2018. Cabrera said a study is needed to see if the facility would be effective.
Mott MacDonald, which is known for solid waste management consultancy, is tasked to assess the current situation at the landfill. As consultant it is responsible in reviewing the broad economic, legal, technical, social, and environmental parameters of the project.
These include conducting assessment on how to best provide Solid Waste Management services to the city, prepare estimates of the optimal capacity of the project’s various SWM facilities, estimates of capital expenditure required, estimates of associated revenues and operating costs.
It would also examine how power generated by the waste incinerator could be sold to the local power distributor.
Cabrera said the prefeasibility study would take at least three months and another six months for the final study.
“It will guide the city on how to properly manage our waste with proper directions na og unsay angay nga technology para sa siyudad, it would help the city to choose partner nga mo-handle sa propose alternative technology,” she said.
The Asian Development Bankset aside funds for the study amounting to $808,912 or P40.9 million. The project is under the government’s public-private partnership program.
A number of companies have already submitted their proposals to the CCENRO for review. These include Best Trade Company, Metro Pacific, New Sky, NECO, JFA from Yokohama and Western Power, among others.
Under the PPP program the city will provide the lot for the project while the winning bidder will build the facility. The WTE facility is expected to occupy at least one to two hectares of land in the landfill. The project is part of the rehabilitation plan for the controversial landfill.