There are some surprises if you visit the integrated solid waste management facility of the town of Teresa, Rizal, a pet project of Mayor Rodel de la Cruz. It is a model that many local government officials from Ilocos to Mindanao have been visiting since it was put up in 2005. It is one garbage processing plant that does not smell of garbage. There are no flies in the facility.

One that pleasantly surprised us is the white charcoal that is made of waste paper from the municipality’s office. Dawna Yanong, an office worker at the town hall, says that she has been regularly buying the white charcoal because she finds it more efficient and cleaner to handle than wood charcoal.

Engr. Marlon Pielago, who oversees the operation of the facility, says that it is very simple to make white charcoal with a manual equipment that does not need any electric power. The shredded paper is soaked to soften it and then it is pressed in a tubular mold. A little amount of starch acts as a binder and alum (tawas) is added for better firing. White charcoal is sold at P10 per kilo.

The facility was put up through a grant of P4 million from the Royal Government of the Netherlands (facilitated by the Laguna Lake Development Authority), and a P4-million loan from the World Bank.

All the biodegradable as well as non-biodegradable wastes from the town are brought to the materials recovery facility in Brgy. Pantay. The biodegradable materials are shredded, mixed with chicken manure and then passed through a bioreactor to produce organic fertilizer.

On the other hand, the plastic and other residual wastes like candy and wrappers of snack foods are shredded and then mixed with cement and sand to make hollow blocks and paving tiles.