Experts discuss the dangers of waste-to-energy technology on human health. Photo by Hannah Lou Balladares

“Waste to Energy is dirty energy.”

This has been the resounding theme in a public forum on Waste-to-Energy Technology that was held at the Finster Hall of Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) last Dec. 5, 2016.

The event was conducted in order to instill understanding on “waste to energy” technology and its potential impacts to people’s health and the environment.

The forum was a response to the recent event wherein Davao City signed an agreement with Kitakyushu City in Japan earlier this month on a waste-to-energy project, much to the disdain of ecologists and environmental advocates.

Representatives of ecological groups, local government units, socio-civic groups, AdDU faculty, and students of ecological studies attended the said event.

Von Hernandez, convener of the Ecowaste Coalition, explicitly stated in the forum that waste-to-energy is not the optimal solution to ecological problems.

“Energy is not the main problem. Even if that’s the case, waste-to-energy is the stupidest, dirtiest and the costliest method. Perhaps they were trying to answer the concern of waste management but there are other well, proven solutions that do not involve this expensive technology,” Hernandez shared.

Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, Former United Nations Chief Technical Advisor on Global Environment Projects, discussed how waste-to-energy releases dioxins which are toxic to human health.

“In terms of dioxins, municipal and medical waste contains the highest amount of that because the waste is a combination of plastics, metal and chlorine. That is why we are saying that waste to energy is definitely dirty energy,” Emmanuel explained.

The presentations of the speakers were followed by an open forum session where several concerns were raised including the imposing of responsibilities to city councilors, encouraging more forums and the use of other renewable sources of energy.

The event ended with a signature campaign that contain the stand to oppose the implementation of the waste-to-energy technology in Davao City.