DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, July 21 (PIA) -- The Dumaguete City government has now employed about 101 scavengers in its materials recovery facility (MRF).

This is after the closure of the 35-year-old Candau-ay dumpsite on March 31. 

Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, who implemented the closure of the dumpsite for rehabilitation along with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, decided to hire the scavengers so they will continue their livelihood as they are no longer allowed to return to the old dumpsite.

Checkpoints are placed on both sides of the road to prevent the entry of garbage trucks and scavengers in the then dumpsite.  

Since the closure of the dumpsite, MRF Manager Engr. Leticia Duran said all collected garbage is now brought to the eight-hectare Eco-Park Solid Waste Processing Facility.

At the Eco-Park, garbage sorters would dispose of the biodegradable waste in a compost pit or turn them into fertilizer. 

The recyclable materials (plastic, glass, cans, cartons, bottles, etc.) are sold to local buyers through public bidding and the residual waste are kept at the residual containment area for disposal at the sanitary landfill in Bayawan City. 

Meanwhile, the installation of equipment and machines of the pyrolysis gasification process that will convert garbage into construction materials is in progress.

Duran said that once fully operational, the pyrolysis machines will convert all collected solid waste into useful byproducts such as pavers, hollow blocks, and other construction materials for the various infrastructure projects and in the maintenance of roads. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)