Carmona Ecology Center

A Showcase of a Good Practice in Solid Waste Management

As part of the Balik Inang Kalikasan, Balik Amang Pabrika (BIKBAP) Program on Waste Recycling,
the Carmona Ecology Center (CEC) was established and started operating in February 2000.

The CEC processes the sorted waste from the households. It houses a composting area, a
storage/redemption area, a seminar and administrative room, among others. It showcases how a
community-based ecological waste management system works. The center is manned collaboratively by
the LGU and recognized NGOs. The plan of transferring administration to a cooperative or foundation will
make the community play a major role in running the business in order to ensure the sustainability of
the program.
 Currently, the CEC has become
a showcase of a good practice in
solid waste management in the
Philippines. Several local
government units, local NGOs and
foreigners have already visited the
facility and learned from the LGUs
experiences. It has become a tourist
destination in Carmona and has
brought honor to the LGU. A
number of local and international
trainings/workshops have chosen
the CEC as showcase and study site
which includes the Solid Waste
Management Association of the Philippines (SWAPP) Annual Conferences, DENR and LLDA training
programs, among others.

The target efficiency of 30% in the Ecological Waste Management Act of 2000 signed by President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has already been achieved although the institutional target of 70% reduction in
garbage for disposal and 90% compliance to segregation have yet to be realized. But, as mentioned
earlier, the program is progressing steadily and as per experience, recycling success does not come
overnight.

Although progressing steadily, there is already an urgent need to upgrade the CEC to accommodate
larger volume of garbage for composting and recycling as compliance to segregation continues to
increase with more intensive campaign. Likewise, the demand of commercial and industrial
establishments to have their biodegradable wastes be accepted in the facility prodded the LGU to
expand the coverage of the program.

The upgrading of the facility will not only benefit the people of Carmona but will continue to
serve as a showcase of a good practice in solid waste management as mandated in RA 9003 or the EWM
ACT of 2000.

How Does the Eco-Center Operate?

* Collection of Garbage

* Secondary Segregation

* Shredding
* Weighing of Shredded Garbage

* Putting Garbage into the Rotary Drum Composter

* Adding Sawdust or Coconut Coir

* Adding Activator

* Curing

* Air drying

* Sieving

* Packaging

* Segregated Recyclables

* Livelihood Training

* Livelihood Projects