The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a priority measure seeking to help address the country’s worsening garbage problem and recurring floods through the use of modern waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies.
House Bill No. 9157, or the proposed Waste-to-Energy Act, was passed with 255 affirmative votes, six negative votes, and three abstentions.
The measure seeks to create a national framework for the development, regulation, and operation of waste-to-energy facilities and other waste treatment technologies. It aims to reduce the accumulation of garbage in waterways, drainage systems, and flood control infrastructure, which are often clogged during heavy rains and typhoons.
The bill also seeks to lessen dependence on open dumpsites by allowing residual waste to be converted into usable heat, electricity, or fuel through technologies that comply with environmental and public health standards.
A priority measure under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, the proposal offers a long-term and science-based approach to the country’s waste management and energy security challenges.
Under the bill, waste-to-energy facilities will primarily operate as energy production facilities while integrating solid waste management systems consistent with Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
The measure provides strict safeguards for the establishment and operation of WTE facilities. These include the installation of continuous emissions monitoring systems approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and compliance with the Clean Air Act, Renewable Energy Act, Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act, and other environmental laws.
Operators will also be required to properly treat and dispose of residues generated by WTE facilities and adopt the best available technologies and practices for pollution prevention and emissions control.
The Department of Energy, DENR, Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Energy Regulatory Commission will be tasked to formulate policies and standards for the establishment and operation of WTE facilities.
The bill also encourages local government units to form clusters for the creation of common WTE facilities, a strategy intended to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
Qualified WTE projects, including pioneer projects that comply with strict operational and environmental standards, may avail themselves of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives under the proposed law.
The measure expressly prohibits the use of imported municipal solid waste as feedstock for WTE facilities. Violators may face penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and revocation of licenses.
Lawmakers said the bill seeks to balance environmental protection, public health, and the country’s growing need for reliable and sustainable energy sources.