American toxicology specialist says WTE technology harmful

July 15, 2019 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY—A U.S.-based environmental group raised the problem with the use of waste-to-energy (WTE) plants and proposed to the city government here to practice strategies or ways to curb its decades-old garbage problem on Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

“Incinerators and ‘waste-to-energy plants are facilities that burn waste, usually plastics. It is bad for human health, environment, economy, climate, resources,” American Environmental Health Studies Project (AEHSP) executive director Paul Connett said in an interview.

Connett specializes in Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, and was in the city on Sunday, July 7, 2019 to speak on the topic upon the invitation of Zero Waste Coalition, an environmental organization that has worked with Mayor Benjamin Magalong in advocating and educating the residents about waste management.

Connett said the problem with waste-to-energy plants is that it produces some of the most toxic materials known to humans.

“Waste to energy technologies use high temperature to burn waste and generate electricity or other forms of energy that are harmful to the public,” he said.

He also said the city can solve its garbage woes by going zero waste instead of using waste to energy technologies. “Educating the community and other stakeholders about the 10 steps to reduce their garbage to zero waste is both a goal and a plan of action,” Connett said.

Connett said there are 10 steps to achieve zero waste management which include source separation, door to door collections, composting, recycling, reuse, repair and community center, waste reduction initiatives, economic incentives, residual separation and research center, industrial responsibility and temporary landfill.

He said zero waste is an approach that ensures resource efficiency, resource recovery, and protection of scarce natural resources.

“Many communities and cities around the world are pursuing zero waste approach instead of incineration because it is good for the environment, the health of communities, the economy, the earth’s resources, jobs, and the climate,” Connett said.

“This is the most beautiful city I have been to in the Philippines, and looking at it reminded me of Italy pushing and promoting zero waste and I can tell that the city of Baguio will be able to achieve zero waste,” he added.

Connett is the author of the book, “The Zero Waste Solution”.

Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA/ABN