Dig backyard hole for wastes–PENRO

LAOAG CITY, Jan. 12 — Waste management should start at home, according to Juan Delos Reyes Jr., chief officer of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Ilocos Norte.

This could be done through digging a hole at the backyard where household wastes could be disposed. This proper waste management practice is sometimes called ‘household composting’, Delos Reyes said.

Composting is the process of burying waste particularly biodegradable ones in a hole or a pit and covered with soil. As the waste is disgarded overtime, the soil becomes enriched.

Most of the towns in Ilocos Norte are working their way in establishing their own sanitary landfill. Nueva Era, for instance, is the first one to put it on reality.
Others like the towns of San Nicolas, Burgos, Dingras, Badoc and the cities of Laoag and Batac are still using the covered dumpsite as an alternative for the sanitary landfill.

“We have to be responsible for our waste and it should start at home. We have our own ways and participation in keeping up with the cleanliness and taking care of our environment,” Delos Reyes explained.

Putting up a sanitary landfill, as explained by the PENRO chief, is expensive. It needs lots of fund to develop one. That is why as an alternative, each household can make their own ways in cleaning up their mess, he said.

Household composting is the solution. This is an alternative in managing each household’s waste. Aside from being cheap and easy, this could show a little humanity from each individual, said Delos Reyes.

According to him, it is time to compel people to do their own responsibility in managing their own waste strictly.

Local authorities should pass an ordinance to strictly implement the policy, so that people would be compelled to do their share in proper waste management, Delos Reyes said. (ANL/CJD-PIA 1 Ilocos Norte)