Malay residents want action vs smelly garbage trucks

AKLAN, Philippines – Affected residents of Malay town here have asked the Sangguniang Bayan to solve the problem of nauseous stench coming from garbage trucks collecting trash from Boracay Island for dumping in a sanitary landfill in the mainland.

The garbage trucks are supposed to be sealed tight but these leave a fetid odor in the main road, posing a health hazard to local residents.

“There is a continuing complaint, exposing the neighborhood to foul odor every time the garbage trucks haul the trash to Barangay Kabulihan,” said Sangguniang Bayan member Dante Pagsuguiron.

To manage the volume of garbage, the municipal government of Malay hired a private contractor to collect the trash in Boracay Island and dump these in a sanitary landfill in Barangay Kabulihan here.

Time and time again though, residents in mainland Malay have had to endure the stink coming from passing garbage trucks hauling tons of garbage from the island resort. 

Aside from the stink of the rubbish, residents are also concerned that contaminated waste from the unmanaged landfill would affect Malay river, which traverses through several barangays here.

They urged the drafting of local legislation for the proper transport of garbage to safeguard the health of residents and to save Malay river.

Town councilor Floribar Bautista said local officials should do something on the complaint of local residents.

“Bakit bumabaho ang hauling ng garbage? Siguro improper ang collection at segregation nito, halo ang biodegradable at recycle waste. Nakikita natin ang mga basura sa mga collection points din sa isla at dapat itong ma-address,” Bautista said.

(What is causing the foul smell from the hauled garbage? It could be the improper collection and segregation, the biodegradable and recyclable waste are dumped together. We’ve also seen the garbage collection points in the island, and these should also be addressed.)

Pagsuguiron said they would invite Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), barangay officials and ECOS Sanitary Landfill and Waste Management Corporation to address the ‘health threat’. – Rappler.com