Local Government Unit of San Carlos City
The Pitch
By empowering local communities and updating waste facilities, the Local Government Unit of San Carlos City inspired better solid waste management practices among its residents and diverted waste from landfills.
The Problem
San Carlos City residents were disengaged in waste management. Solid waste management systems were inefficient and most waste ended up in landfills, causing health hazards and carbon emissions.
The Process
- Developed a comprehensive citizen-awareness program, “The Ecological Waste Management Lifestyle Change Project,” to change residents’ behavior and attitudes towards waste management and environmental stewardship—including a Guide to Correct Management of Waste
- Began campaign efforts in lowland urban areas (that produced the most waste) and focused on institutions that promote behavioral change, such as religious groups and schools
- Built an Eco-Center—equipped with a 6,600 square meter landfill for municipal solid waste, a centralized material recovery facility, an office, a seminar room for educational programming, a motor pool, a composting area and wastewater treatment facility—so residents and businesses could dispose of waste and recycling in one place
The Impact
- Served a total of 9,000 visitors, 45 local government units, 28 government agencies and 18 institutions at Eco-Center seminars
- Sorts waste at the source, recovers recyclables and composts biodegradables to increase the income generation of the integrated waste management system, enabling it to save P12,000 each month and maintain its low cost (budget=P350,000 and savings are allocated for future solid waste management use, ensuring the long-term sustainability of operations)
- Changed residents’ behaviors to dispose of household and business waste in sustainable ways that minimize entry into the landfill
- Empowered the local community to take control of their local health and sustainability by engaging in solid waste management procedures
- Inspired a new City Ordinance that bans plastic cups, straws and Styrofoam
