The Mandaue City Council is set to meet with Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc., operator of the Barangay Binaliw landfill, to clarify the facility’s current condition and its capacity to handle waste amid ongoing disposal challenges.
Councilor Carlo Fortuna said Prime Waste was invited to the council’s regular session on January 26 but was unable to send a representative.
The company instead requested a private meeting with council members to directly respond to concerns raised during previous deliberations.
Questions on operations and waste volume
Council members want clearer answers on whether the landfill can resume operations and how long it can realistically accommodate the increasing volume of waste from Mandaue City and other areas in Metro Cebu.
Mandaue City has long relied on the Binaliw landfill for the disposal of residual waste. Records show that in 2025 alone, the city generated more than 65,000 tons—averaging around 210 tons daily.
Alternative disposal after landfill suspension
Following the fatal trash slide that led to the suspension of operations at the Binaliw landfill, the city government sought alternative disposal arrangements.
Mandaue City entered into a three-month contract with private hauler Infinite Trading, which now transports the city’s waste to the Asian Energy facility in Barangay Garing, Consolacion.
The contract is valued at more than P60 million.
Fortuna noted concerns over whether temporary facilities, including Barangay Garing, can continue absorbing waste from Mandaue City and neighboring LGUs in the long term.
Closed-door meeting planned
The councilor said the meeting with Prime Waste, expected next week, will be conducted behind closed doors rather than during a regular council session.
He assured, however, that the results of the discussion will be disclosed to the public afterward.
Immediate attention is focused on the possible reopening of the Binaliw landfill after a proposed three-month rehabilitation period.
Long-term solution still lacking
Fortuna emphasized that Mandaue City—and Metro Cebu as a whole—continues to face a major challenge due to the lack of a sustainable, long-term waste management solution.
“Landfills are not really sustainable,” Fortuna said, noting that waste reduction remains the ideal approach but is difficult to achieve given the thousands of tons of garbage generated daily across Metro Cebu.
He added that landfill sites have finite capacity and will eventually reach their limits, underscoring the need to seriously consider alternatives such as waste-to-energy technologies.
For now, Fortuna said the council’s priority is determining when the Binaliw landfill can resume operations and how long it can continue to serve as a disposal site amid the region’s growing waste volume. (VCL)
Photo. Atty. Joel Seno/ Facebook
