Supporting Municipal Solid Waste Management ...

Supporting Municipal Solid Waste Management through Informal Waste Sector Integration and Material Recovery in Iloilo City, Philippines

Technical report for the GIZ development program Solid Waste Management for Local Government Units in the Philippines Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Iloilo City, Philippines September 14, 2012

Solid Waste Management for Local Governments in the Philippines: Informal waste sector integration

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GIZ-AHT Project office: c/o DENR – EMB Regional Office Parola Street Iloilo City, Philippines Email: [email protected] www.giz.de

Iloilo City, Philippines September 2012 Responsible: Dr. Johannes Paul Authors: Johannes G. Paul, Joan Jaque, Danilo Jaque, Voltaire Acosta, Maricor B. Palapas

Fotos of cover page (from left to right starting upper row; all from Johannes Paul):

Waste pickers searching for reusable materials at Calajunan dumpsite, Iloilo City Waste worker transporting recovered materials at Calajunan dumpsite Waste pickers recover metals from electronic waste at Calajunan site Woman producing briquettes from wasted paper at UCLA Center, Iloilo City Worker at mechanized waste sorting plant at Calajunan site Woman uses waste packages to produce recycling bags


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Executive Summary In low- and middle income countries, municipal solid waste management includes thousands of informal waste workers, among them women, children and elderly, who depend on informal waste collection and recovery as a means of livelihood. However, a legal regulation for their professional activities is often lacking and they are not recognized, hence their livelihood is very vulnerable. On the other hand, the informal waste sector recovers significant amounts of valuable materials that can support municipal solid waste management (SWM) and lessen waste disposal in various ways. Many studies have shown that the informal waste sector can significantly support SWM, but could also negatively impact on waste management systems if not organized properly. Workers of the informal recycling sector have a high degree of specific knowledge about identifying materials, treating and trading them at local markets, but often depend on middle-man for getting access to traders or industrial users of recovered materials. Besides, they often lack basic facilities, organization, tools, work protection gear or suited places where they can work under safe and sanitary conditions. Informal waste workers are vulnerable to health risks and hazards due to their prolonged exposure at open dumpsites and by working with toxic, hazardous and infectious materials from the waste stream. With support of the GIZ project “Solid Waste Management for Local Governments in the Philippines”, Iloilo City started to organize the informal waste sector and offered various projects to integrate waste pickers into their municipal waste management operations. As a pilot project, the recovery of Alternative Fuels and Raw materials (AFR) was started together with Holcim Philippines Inc. This project included to set up and operate a mechanized sorting plant that enabled a more efficient material recovery and development of add-on projects to add value through waste treatment and recycling, e.g. composting, briquette production, handicraft making using waste packages etc. The experiences made in Iloilo City are encouraging, especially the development of a routine operation for mechanized material sorting to lessen waste disposal. The development progress included the formation of a local waste workers association called UCLA (USWAG Calajunan Livelihood Association), an important milestone to legalize their work, to strengthen their role as stakeholder, and to develop further livelihood options. In the meantime, UCLA consists of 150 members, and based on various guidelines and agreements with the local government, UCLA members participate within the municipal SWM program that offers many benefits for both sides. Enhanced material recovery at source, during collection and at the disposal site minimizes losses of valuable resources and extends the lifespan of the landfill. The initiated recovery of organic materials and Alternative Fuels and raw materials (AFR) offers substantial cost savings for the municipality, and especially reduces efforts and cost for landfill operations. Furthermore, the project contributes to poverty alleviation for UCLA members, who obtain a more stable income and better work conditions. With the establishment of an in-house, mechanized sorting plant, weather protected work places are offered that include work protection measures and access to sanitation and water facilities. By recovering and utilizing wasted materials, new possibilities emerge for the social and economic development of UCLA besides the envisioned transformation of Calajunan from an ordinary dumpsite to a more efficiently operated Waste Management Center.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7.

Executive summary Introduction Regulatory framework for waste management in the Philippines Brief on solid waste management in Iloilo City

3 6 7 7

3.1 General overview 3.2 Activities of the informal waste sector (IWS) 3.3 Development support for the IWS by the GIZ project 3.4 Formalization of a waste workers association 3.5 Establishment of a recycling center for artisanal products

7 9 11 12 14

Recovery of alternative fuels and raw materials (AFR) in Iloilo City Other UCLA activities Achievements of UCLA and former informal waste workers

15 20 20

6.1 Challenges 6.2 Weaknesses

21 21

Conclusions and recommendations References

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TABLES 1. 2. 3. 4.

Average prices for selling reusable materials at Calajunan site Statistics of UCLA workers at Calajunan regarding Gender and educational level Summary of investment costs for the sorting plant at Calajunan site Summary of daily operation costs for sorting facility at Calajunan site

FIGURES 1. Location of study area 2. Site development plan Calajunan waste management 3. Process flow at the Calajunan waste sorting facility

11 12 16 16

7 8 17

FOTOS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Aerial overview Iloilo City Compactor truck used for waste collection in Iloilo City Waste pickers search incoming waste for sellable materials Event to support team building of UCLA members at Calajunan Woman group at UCLA center with display of recycling products Woman sort waste at the mechanical waste sorting facility Bailing and storage of segregated light-density plastic wastes Alternative jobs for waste pickers in composting, construction works, briquette making and as security guard Center of the USWAG Calajunan Livelihood Association


8 9 9 12 14 18 19 20 20

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Abbreviations AFR Barangay DA DENR DOH EMB GSO GTZ

Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials Smallest administrative unit in the Philippines Department of Agriculture Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Department of Health Environmental Management Bureau General Services Office Deutsche Gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit (integrated into GIZ in 2011) GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit IWB Itinerant waste buyers IWS Informal waste sector LG Local Government LOOB Love Our Own Brethren (NGO) MRF Material Recovery Facility NSWMC National Solid Waste Management Commission PhP Philippine Pesos RA Republic Act RRR Reduce – Reuse - Recycle SLF Sanitary Landfill SWMB Solid Waste Management Board SWM4LGUs Solid Waste Management for Local Government Units SWM Solid Waste Management UCLA USWAG Calajunan Livelihood Association UNEP United Nations Environment Program WB World Bank


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1. Introduction In the Philippines, the Republic Act 9003 also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, sets guidelines and targets for waste minimization, source segregation, material recovery, reuse, recycling, waste treatment and disposal facilities (RA 9003, 2001). Initially the law demanded a waste diversion rate of 25% from collected waste (by weight). In 2012, this target has increased to 37.5%. However, many municipalities fail to establish waste management systems that can meet the legal requirements but proceed to dispose waste at dumpsites, mainly due to lack of appropriate segregation and recycling technologies (SWAPP, 2009; Paul et al, 2009a; Quiroga et al, 2011). A large portion of domestic type waste is composed of materials that could be valuable secondary resources and hence should be recovered rather than disposed (Paul et al, 2009b). This perspective opens various opportunities to middle- and low-income countries that very often struggle with rapidly growing waste volumes. In a difficult economic context, large numbers of people gain their living by recovering waste materials for recycling at dumpsites (Gerdes & Gunsilius, 2010). These people are working and living under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions, but often their livelihood is fragile and depends on municipal developments and projects that often fail to recognize the role and needs of the informal waste sector (SWAPP, 2009, Paul et al, 2010). To enhance local waste management services, the City of Iloilo searched for innovative options to increase material recovery and to reduce waste disposal and related negative environmental impacts. Iloilo City is the largest urban centre in the Western Visayas with half a million inhabitants that generate around 300 tons solid waste/day. However, due to lack of waste segregation the waste is collected as mixed waste, including a significant portion of valuable materials that reach the local dumpsite. There, around 300 waste pickers search for valuable and sellable waste components as a source of livelihood (Paul et al, 2007 & 2009a/b). Since 2005, the GIZ project “Solid Waste Management for Local Government Units in the Philippines” (SWM4LGUs) supports the implementation of numerous activities to enhance municipal waste management in the Philippines with focus on the Visayas region. This support also includes the local government (LG) Iloilo City, that aimed to increase waste collection, material recovery and enhance waste disposal systems. Furthermore, the LG designed and implemented many measures to address the situation of informal waste workers, e.g. by integrating them in waste treatment and recycling projects as far as possible (Paul et al, 2007, 2009a, 2011; Paul et al, 2012a). This includes recycling of packaging waste in manufacturing facilities implemented in partnership with several local and international organizations. Furthermore, supported by the internationally operating cement producer Holcim, the LG established the recovery of Alternative Fuels and Raw materials (AFR) for cement production (Paul et al, 2009a). Initially, the focus of support was to assist the formation of a waste workers association, but later on capacity building was extended in providing training measures, equipment and storage places, including the operation of a mechanical sorting plant. Main target of secondary waste sorting were waste fractions such as light-density packages and plastic bags/foils that prior to the intervention were discarded because of lack of markets or local reuse options. This initiative followed a new national regulation released in 2010 (DENR, 2010) that enables co-processing of certain municipal waste fractions in cement kilns based on a guiding standard published by the Cement Association of the Philippines and GTZ in 2008 (CeMAP, 2008). Further project components involved waste workers to produce briquettes for household use and compost from segregated organic waste (Romallosa et al, 2011a/b).


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2. Regulatory framework for waste management in the Philippines The Republic Act 9003, also known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act” that came into effect in the year 2001, promotes the paradigm that waste is a resource whereas a large portion of collected waste is assumed recoverable. It determines that the local governments are the primary institutions to implement this act, and promotes active collaboration with the private sector and associations working on solid waste management (SWM). It encourages reduction of waste at the source, recovery, recycling and reuse of wastes, creating mandatory targets. Furthermore, it mandates at least 25% waste diversion by 2006 and increasing values every three years thereafter. To achieve this goal, every barangay has to establish a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), to implement segregation at the source and to collect recyclables and biodegradables. While the legal prescriptions emphasize the importance of reduction, reuse and recovery (RRR), it also prohibits waste picking in segregation areas or disposal facilities, unless the owner or operator allows it. However, Republic Act 9003 also encourages cooperatives and associations to support implementation of legal prescriptions, which also offers opportunities to integrate the informal sector into the municipal SWM system. Other important acts also consider the informal waste sector (IWS). The Local Government Code (Republic Act 7160) states that the municipal governments have to provide basic services and facilities, as well as social welfare to different groups of the population, including informal waste workers, also called ‘scavengers’ or waste pickers.

3. Brief on solid waste management in Iloilo City 3.1 General overview Iloilo City is the provincial capital of the Western Visayas region and likewise the center of the Iloilo-Guimaras Metropolitan Area. It is one of the most accessible cities of the Philippines, with an airport that connects the city with Manila and Cebu, and having ports that offer boats and fast ferry to Zamboanga, Mindanao and Bacolod City, the latter connecting to the neighboring Island Negros. In the year 2000, the census reported a population of 366,391 persons and an area of 56 km2 with 180 administrative sub-units called barangays.1) The main land use of the city is residential (57.4%), followed by commercial (8.2%), parks and open spaces (5.5%), institutional (4.8%) and agriculture (4.4%). The remaining land is provided for new housing developments, proposed roads and highways, industrial, transport facilities, mangrove plantations, flood enhancement measures, cemetery and others. 1)

The term Barangay is used for the smallest administrative unit in the Philippines, synonym for village


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The dumpsite represents 0.29% of the city’s area. Between the few industries operating in the city, the branches with the highest share of company investments are beverages with almost 26% and cereals preparation (rice, corn, wheat) with almost 24% (Iloilo City, 2005). Less prominent are furniture and meat production with 6.5 and 5.5% respectively. Branches that offer highest quantity of jobs are manufactures of artificial resins and plastic materials, with 406 out of 879 registered ones (46.2%) and a capitalization of 2.4%. The Calajunan waste disposal site was already established in 1988 under the legal framework valid at that time. It is located in the city division Mandurriao, specifically in the barangay Calajunan, where 1,861 persons lived in 337 households by 2000. The site has been operated as an open dumpsite and has no liner, cover, leachate collection or treatment systems, or technologies for emission control respectively landfill gas collection. In 2007 the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued an authority to close the open dumpsite. Subsequently the City Government started to rehabilitate the site and initiated measures to transform the open dump into a transitional disposal site. In 2010, the LG initiated a feasibility study for a new sanitary landfill adjacent to the present dumpsite. Already in 1998, the city received a grant from the World Bank (WB) for conduct of a feasibility study on the conversion of the Calajunan Dumpsite into a sanitary landfill (SLF) including an environmental impact study. In the following, the LG established a Task Force on Solid Waste Management. This body coordinates all efforts and functions relative to SWM planning and operation and assists the different municipal departments in policy formulation, planning, implementation and monitoring of agreed enhancement measures for SWM. With the support of the GIZ Project “Solid Waste Management for Local Government Units” (SWM4LGUs), Iloilo City started to develop measures that could support the integration of the informal waste sector (IWS). The inclusion of recycling activities of this sector and new livelihood alternatives for waste pickers were integrated from the beginning of planning for the various sub-projects. Main vision was to transform the Calajunan dumpsite in a more modern waste management facility from 2005 on as done in other partners LGs of SWM4LGUs (Acosta et al, 2011; Boorsma et al, 2009; Paul et al, 2011a).


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In Iloilo City, waste segregation at source was established in October 2009. From the 180 barangays of the city, 90% established a MRF, but only 30% were functioning by 2006. At the same time, around 90% of the hotels and pension houses as well as four hospitals and four large shopping malls had established their own MRFs by 2006. Based on the survey of May 2009, around 80 barangays have a functional MRF (around 44%). Besides, the largest shopping mall established a monthly waste exchange market that allows customers and visitors to bring back or trade usable items with interested third parties. In Iloilo City, household and commercial wastes have to be segregated at source into organic waste (‘wet waste’) and residual waste (‘dry waste’). There is no house-to-house collection system, unless private complaints occur and an exceptional collection is either organized by the LG or initiated by the concerned household. Householders or domestic helpers have to bring the waste to the MRFs or the collection points of the barangays on specific days for each kind of waste. A private company is contracted by the LG with the daily waste collection, either from the barangay MRFs or from the designated collection points. From there the waste is taken over and transported to the only existing dumpsite of the city located at Barangay Calajunan. The dumpsite is owned by the LG and operated by the General Service Office (GSO). Prior to the project, waste collection was only conducted during night shifts, whereas the public waste collection now performs between 5 am and 8 pm in order to increase efficiency, which was very low during the prior collection at night. This also allows a better control of delivered waste at the dumpsite.

3.2 Activities of the informal waste sector The informal waste sector plays an important role in the SWM system of the city, covering activities that are only partially or not performed by the LG or the private sector. Informal workers act at different levels of the waste management system. Itinerant waste buyers (IWB) go from house to house and collect or buy recyclable materials. Street waste pickers separate wastes that are not brought to the MRFs and are left at different locations. The manual sorting of waste at the MRFs (at barangay level as well as at the level of shopping malls and markets) is mostly


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not paid by the LG or the companies, but waste pickers do the sorting in exchange for receiving the sellable materials contained in the waste. However, the waste workers are not integrated into the formal collection system. Officers of the GSO in charge of SWM have encouraged the contracted collection company Layson Inc. and some shopping malls to engage informal waste collectors as regular workers. On the way to the dumpsite, both the formal garbage crew and informal waste workers, also known as “jumpers”, recover certain materials from the trucks before they reach the disposal facility. However, the number of “jumpers” is decreasing because the provider now uses closed compaction trucks that make recovery difficult once the waste has been put into the truck. Approximately 300 waste picking households recover resources from the disposal site in Calajunan. They collect and separate specific wastes, which they sell to junkshops near the dumpsite. The junkshops mostly act in an informal way and therefore it is difficult to make a census of the existing shops. Sometimes they preprocess the collected wastes and sell them to consolidators or directly to the industry for much higher prices. Some waste pickers have been working at the dumpsite for over 20 years. A semi-organized group of informal waste workers existed long before the beginning of the GIZ project, initiated by the municipal waste management officer from GSO. But the formerly initiated group did not proceed because of insufficient trust and motivation of the members. Some of the consolidators posed threats to those waste pickers that wanted to get organized. Only individual waste picking on the Calajunan dumpsite occurred prior to the organizing efforts started by the project in 2005.

Delia Animas, 52, has been working at the dumpsite since 1986. On a normal day, she starts working at 6 am and ends around at 5 pm, when the sunlight starts to diminish, making it difficult for her to recognize the wastes. Until a few months ago, the collection was done at night and she had to work very late under difficult conditions. She rests several times during her work, when she wants to take lunch or when she feels sick or dizzy. During hot sunny days, she feels mostly too weak to go to the dumpsite, but often she works until the end of day light. If she has to stay at home, someone from the family or the neighborhood has to lend her money. She goes to the doctor only in critical situations, which occur around once a year. She knows the UCLA project but she still prefers to work at the open dump because she needs to be flexible with her schedule, also because of the needs of her family. Her main income source is the breeding of pigs, which consume organic waste that she finds at the dumpsite. Nevertheless, she would like to find a better job and to lessen the daily pressure she has to organize food for her family.

Foto: Delia Animas, waste picker from Calajunan (courtesy of: Salome Villamor)


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The following prices in Philippine Pesos (PhP)1 could be expected by an individual waste picker for selling reusable materials at the Calajunan sites based on several interviews with workers: Table 1: Average prices for selling reusable materials at Calajunan dumpsite Material fraction Plastics Scrap metal Aluminum Cardboard Copper wire

Price in PhP/kg 10 7 35 0.75 1.9

Price in US-$/kg1 0.21 0.15 0.75 0.01 0.04

Since the installation of segregation at source within the city, less informal recyclers are active (in the streets as well as on the disposal site), because less recyclables are found in the residual wastes accessible to waste pickers. Due to this reduction in income prospects, less people are active in waste picking. Moreover, the fall of the recycling prices since 2008 has further contributed to a falling income of the informal recyclers. Lately, the LG engaged so-called eco-aides that work at the dumpsite and use some of the organic residues (especially coconut fibers and residues) to produce a simple soil conditioner. This is delivered cost-free to public parks etc. However, plans are on the way to extend compost production works at Calajunan that would also offer additional livelihood for the IWS.

3.3 Development support for the informal waste sector by the GIZ project Since 2005, the municipality and the GIZ project planned to revitalize the waste picker’s group. Initially, the project conducted a baseline study on the activities, living conditions and preferred income generating activities for around 120 waste pickers and supported the elaboration of a waste pickers’ development plan. The workers for the pilot activities were selected according to their willingness to enroll into the proposed waste reclaimer’s association. The first group of participants was chosen among the waste pickers who had been issued an ID card or were already involved in common activities, such as participating in informal organizational meetings and group discussions. This process was supported by social workers of the LG and validated by the association’s leaders. The program initiated various pilot activities like regular meetings of the group, trainings on sewing recycled design bags, sorting out alternative fuel and raw materials (AFR) in cooperation with the cement producer Holcim Philippines and the development of alternative livelihood opportunities. An important element of the support was the official registration of the waste picker’s group as a company called UCLA (USWAG Calajunan Livelihood Association). The support extended to UCLA led to an increasing participation of waste workers in group activities and other development measures of the association. It also encouraged the support by

Exchange Rate for December 2010: between 45.8 and 46.9 PHP for 1 USD; http://www.exchangerates.org/history/PHP/USD/T 1


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private sector actors and local NGOs who observed the positive impacts of the activities. The assistance from the private sector and NGOs makes the group more visible, strengthens group formation and teamwork, and in parallel lessens the dependency from the LG. The last count of UCLA association members refers to a total of 130 persons with a potential of further enrollment of +120 members from local waste pickers. The number, gender and educational background of the different groups involved were analyzed by the GSO / Social Development Program Coordinator in 2009 and are presented in the following table. Table 2: Statistics of UCLA waste workers at Calajunan regarding Gender and education level Educational level of UCLA workers Number of workers % male % female Elementary school (%) Elementary graduate (%) High school (%) High school graduate (%) College (%) College graduate (%) Total (%) Source: Villamor (2009)

Recycling shop 12 25 75 8.3 25.0 8.3 50.0 8.3 0.0 100.0

MRF 60 (part-time) 41.7 58.3 38.3 16,7 20.0 16.7 6.7 1.7 100.0

Construction workers 31 100 0 48.4 6.5 35.5 6.45 3.2 0.0 100.0

Open dump 22 40.0 59.1 31.8 9.1 45.5 4.6 4.5 0.0 100.0

3.4 Formalization of the waste workers group The SWM4LGUs project and the municipal Social Development Program facilitated the registration of the group as a formal incorporated association called UCLA. In order to formalize the status of the group of informal workers, a process was initiated to officially register a cooperative or a small enterprise. The statute of an Incorporated (Inc.) with its own rights, privileges, and liabilities, offered the advantage of faster and less complicated registration process, likewise less costly and easier to implement due to a smaller board structure and less administrative hurdles. Besides, being registered as an Incorporated, the group is now able to sign official contracts with project partners, an important prerequisite e.g. for further collaboration with Holcim or other private entities.


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In order to cover the registration costs, membership fees were determined as 100 Pesos per year/member (around 2 US-$). Currently, there are 130 active members of the organization of whom approx. 50% have paid the membership fee. In a meeting in March 2010, the members agreed on a monthly membership fee of 30 Pesos, a fact that demonstrates the increasing income level of the workers and the readiness and capability to contribute towards common activities and development plans of UCLA. They also agreed on rules for working at the dumpsite, e.g. not to admit children for waste recovery works at the disposal site, to prevent animals from entering the disposal site, or to control practices like drinking alcohol or bringing weapons to the site. In May 2009, UCLA was officially registered and recently obtained the right to issue official receipts, important for making business with private enterprises and customers. The formalized group lately opened a bank account to facilitate official payment procedures with project partners, members and customers. A challenge for the future development of the group is the recognition as a people’s organization or cooperation, two various legal forms of enterprises that offers different rights and various advantages. This would facilitate the reception of donations from partners such as NGOs or private companies but also allow to apply for tax reductions. Recently received donations were reduced significantly due to complicated transactions with involved authorities. Factors for the successful organizational development of UCLA Important elements for the successful organizational development of UCLA were the cooperation with important other stakeholders, a development plan and a clear steering structure. The dedicated work of municipal officers in charge of waste management and the engagement of social workers to support UCLA have been essential for strengthening the group. Initially, the municipal officer was confronted with mistrust by the informal workers. However, he succeeded in convincing them that organizing is not benefitting the officials, but their own development. Consequently, installing transparency and confidence is a relevant aspect to enable future joint work and development. To install a new spirit of joint work, the team organizes regular meetings with the leaders of the different groups and officials of the municipality. The ongoing support and advice by municipal officials to proceed with skills development and the formation of UCLA is a relevant factor for the further development of the group. Besides, several individual supporters agreed to offer assistance for UCLA and play now an important role in decision-making and steering further development initiatives. Among them are Mr. Levy Padlan, a religious leader of the protestant church, who lets UCLA use a lot near the dumpsite to establish their own training and recycling center. Furthermore, Mrs. Lorelie Secatin, a woman who works at the dumpsite, accepted the role as leader at the sorting plant. The diversification of the group activities proved to be a good strategy to enable further development and integration of a substantial number of waste workers. Impact: UCLA reports increasing participation of members in joint activities. The established new UCLA center provides the group with a place for meetings, trainings and for developing new activities. The group also succeeded in official registration as incorporated company and hence is now enabled to enter regular business relations with other actors.


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3.5. Establishment of a recycling center for artisanal products As one of the first UCLA activities, a group of 12 waste pickers has been involved in artisanal recycling activities. These workers received training by the GIZ program and proceeded to produce and sell bags and other products using paper and doy packs (also called wrappers), which are very common plastic packaging for juices and beverages in the Philippines. They recover these used packages in schools, cemeteries and other places; wash, disinfect and dry them, before sewing them into different useful products. The idea for recycling used packages had been realized before by other development projects with success. Under the concept of communitybased waste management and contributing to poverty alleviation by providing livelihood, the SWM4LGUs program offered the first training activities to a group of women in Buenavista municipality, Guimaras Island, who were not working in waste management but had some experience in sewing. The founders of this group named BANA-AG became trainers and were hired by SWM4LGUs to transfer their knowledge to other LGs and interested private groups. One of these trainings took place in Iloilo to support waste pickers, mostly women. In the meantime, UCLA benefits from the Filipino-Japanese NGO LOOB and through local civic organizations in Iloilo City that regularly place order for recycling products to support the woman group. Related to that the group acquired 8 sewing engines with support of SWM4LGUs and the NGO LOOP. An important element of business development was the calculation of production costs for several products of the group through observation of processes. The recycling group decided to divide labor among the members of the group and in order to agree on partial efforts and payment they determined the approximate time for the different work processes. For each product, the material cost, labor cost, overhead costs and contribution to the group was calculated. 15% of the price is reserved to the group, of which 10% goes into a fund that serves to cover eventual healthcare costs of the workers, whereas 3% of this share is contributed to the joint fund of all sub-groups of UCLA. Once a year, primes are paid to each member. This process is attended by a GSO representative and a representative of the SWM4LGUs project, because the recycling team has no expertise to conduct this process on their own yet. On the initiative of SWM4LGUs, collaboration with the guild of “Young Designers of Iloilo” was initiated. And Mr. Jor-el Espina, the president of the guild, conducted a training session on the design of new products and also agreed to sell some of the articles in their shop. In the meantime, some people of this recycling project left the group, but new members joined it. Lately, the group is able to sustain their livelihood with the incoming orders for recycling products. They are planning to hand over between 5 and 10% of their income to an UCLA fund in order to cover eventual health expenses of one of the group members.


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So far, the various trainings provided to the group mainly concerned technical instruction and less management and marketing skills, but there is further need for advice and training on these issues. Success factors for the Recycling workshop An important factor for the success of the Recycling workshop is the dedication of SWM4LGUs staff to support the recycling initiative. The group also benefits from GIZ networks for finding clients for the recycled products. Furthermore, the designation of a social worker for accompanying the group and her work on calculating production costs etc. plays an important role in the professionalization of the group. The partnership with the BANA-AG group in Buenavista made it possible to cover also bigger commands. In addition, the contact with LOOB provided the group with regular orders. Impact: The recycling center offers a suited place where former waste pickers now produce valuable objects and develop creative ideas, while learning artisanal and soft skills. The success reached has won additional clients and supporters. This gives confidence to the team members and helps them to integrate into social activities and to gain confidence through their achievements. Positive effects for the workers are an improved income, better workplaces, working in a team and the opportunity to constitute a fund for covering medical expenses for the group members.

4. Recovery of alternative fuels and raw materials (AFR) in Iloilo City Although the cement industry could theoretically take over a substantial part of collected waste from municipalities as Alternative Fuels and Raw materials (AFR) for co-processing, most LGs are not aware of this option for waste recovery. One of the main hindrances is the lack of waste segregation in many municipalities. Furthermore, most local governments fail to invest in waste sorting and treatment prior to waste disposal. In order to upscale AFR recovery, the processes and supporting measures that would enable the informal waste sector to more efficiently participate in municipal waste management need to be documented and knowledge shared with other interested municipalities. In addition, strategies and development support for waste workers to process, pack, store and transport segregated materials have to be provided to produce AFR that can be accepted and successfully processed by the cement industry. The beginning of AFR recovery in Iloilo City started in 2007 with a 20-day waste segregation test that involved 50 waste pickers (Paul et al, 2007). Initially, the main challenge was to organize the waste pickers and to transform their work habits from waste picking at the dumpsite towards working at a mechanized waste sorting plant. This facility with a processing capacity of around 25 tons per day offers jobs for up to 15 waste workers per shift to sort the incoming waste with a capacity of up to 2 tons/hour. During the initial test run, the average waste composition was assessed with focus on the composition of delivered waste at dumpsite. Sorting equipment consisted of a trammel screen and conveyor belts in an in-house unit. The results confirmed major fractions of light packaging materials that are difficult to recycle, but could be used as AFR. Besides, the test revealed a high content of fine materials usable as soil cover, and of larger organic waste components. The social and economic aspects of operating the established pilot facility for mechanized material recovery were analyzed, and the investment and operational costs of the MRF could be determined as follows.


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Table 3: Summary of investment costs for the sorting plant at Calajunan site Particulars

Qty

Mini truck (service vehicles) 1- Unit MRF Module 1 Unit Mobile Trommel Screener w/ hopper 1 unit Plastic shredder Total Source: Paul et al (2007)

1 1 1 1

Estimated Cost (PHP) 700,000.00 7,745,450.00 490,000.00 520,000.00 9,455,450.00

Estimated Cost (US$) 14,000.00 154,910.00 9,800.00 10,400.00 189,110.00

Table 4: Summary of daily operation costs for the sorting facility at Calajunan site Item AFR MRF operation

Transport from disposal site to port Labor Transport from port to cement plant

Remark Salaries of sorting workers MRF conveyor Mini dozer Small dump truck Dump truck

Costs (PHP) 2,284.43 105.00 404.28 324.44 519.26

Costs (US$) 45.69 2.10 8.09 6.49 10.38

2 permanent and 6 casual No data available yet

1,790.39 ?

35.81 ?

5,427.79

108.56

Total Source: Paul et al (2009a)

Given the big amount of non-recyclable plastic materials (25t/day) determined during the 20-day test run in 2006, a second 100 day-test run was made from September 2008 to January 2009 with the objective to recover the maximum amount of these materials as Alternative Fuel and Raw materials (AFR). A partnership with the cement producer Holcim was initiated, whereas Holcim offered support and training for AFR sorting, for material packing and transport costs from their cement storage facility in Iloilo to the cement production plant in Lugait, located at Mindanao Island. A following test in 2009 that covered 3 month revealed that up to 30 % of the processed waste at the sorting facility were light-density packages that could not be recycled locally but would be suited as AFR for co-processing. This test also showed that an AFR recovery of up to 30 tons per week is possible by working in 2 shifts, each with 15 workers, whereas the average AFR recovery increased from around 15 tons/week at the beginning to the test to 30 tons per week at test end. This underlines that skills development of waste workers is an important aspect for efficient operation. Based on the promising test outcomes, the local government, Holcim and the waste workers association agreed to formulize their working relation within a Memorandum of Agreement that clarified rules, processes, functions and duties of the jointly performed AFR recovery (Paul et al, 2009b and 2012).


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The provided mechanized waste sorting system offered several benefits for the involved parties. Whereas the local government received support to reduce waste disposal and to organize local waste pickers, the latter benefited from enhanced working conditions, additional income through more efficient material recovery, a strengthened position as waste workers association and various trainings and organizational support. Holcim on the other hand gained valuable experience in testing the recovery of Alternative Fuels and Raw materials (AFR) in a municipal context. Additionally, relevant processes related to monitoring of AFR quality, design of storage and bailing systems but also measures to protect bailed AFR against the regular occurring heavy rains were clarified. It is worthwhile to mention that this initiative triggered additional support by non-governmental and church organizations as well as academe. Moreover, it increased visibility of the new waste workers association and their supporting role for municipal waste management in the community (Paul et al, 2012). Initially, 30 dump pickers were involved in the sorting activities at Calajunan, the municipal task force and Holcim. They worked in two shifts of 15 persons each, from 8pm to 4am and from 4am to 12am. Each shift elected a leader to coordinate the work process, but also to resolve conflicts. Parallel to the AFR recovery, the workers at the sorting plant separate sellable wastes, which they retail directly to junkshops and consolidators located near the dumpsite. One shift sells the recyclables jointly to one junkshop and thus receives better prices than by selling the materials individually. The income is shared equally between the team members, whereby this system also creates incentives to perform well as a group. Some of the junkshop owners are perceived as supporters by the workers. On the other hand, there is a strong dependence of the waste pickers on these junkshops, as the latter lend money or material to the waste pickers, who later have to provide recyclable materials to repay their “debt”. During the regular operation of the sorting plant various challenges emerged. Weather conditions and particularly the periodically heavy taifun rains affected work efficiency and AFR quality.


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Moreover, incoming waste during the rainy season was much wetter in general and caused clogging respectively malfunctioning of conveyor belts and trammel screen. Some organizational issues emerged due to equipment brake down and time consuming governmental processes for the bidding and acquisition of spare parts. Besides, the regular payment for waste workers involved in AFR recovery was hindered by lengthy procedures of the LG and Holcim due to complex contractual and accounting procedures. However, the motivation of waste workers to consider AFR recovery as a worthwhile activity depends on the weekly, respectively at least regular monthly payment after work completion. In order to include a greater number of persons in the project, the teams and shifts performed at the sorting plant were upgraded and now offer 60 former waste pickers a regular job. They work in four groups; two groups work in two 8-hour shifts during two weeks, while the other two groups sort out waste individually on the dumpsite. The groups switch work places every two weeks between the sorting plant and the dumpsite. Because the public waste collection now happens during daytime, the sorting plant operates in parallel. Rowena Garcia, is 37 years old and has 6 children. She used to work in housekeeping but she gets more money as a waste picker. She has been working at the dumpsite for the last 20 years. She started to work 8 hours a day at the separation plant when the 100-day MRF test started. One of her priorities is to enhance the education of her children and, although the government helps paying the fees, the materials needed for schooling are still expensive. She likes to work in the sorting plant because it is more organized and group members can interact with each other to increase the jointly shared output whereas a team leader is available and accepted. She also thinks it is much better to sell the recyclables together than individually, because they get better prices. They sell these materials as a team and receive the money daily, while the payment of the AFR sold to Holcim occurs very irregularly until now. The group has the opportunity to elect their leader and in case they want to change it is their own decision. Because of her engagement and good relationship with other waste pickers, she was elected as team leader of one shift. As a leader, she has to coordinate the group, guarantee the achievement of high sorting rates and assist to regular meetings with the other team leaders and the personal of GSO. Although it is hard and she does not receive more money, she enjoys being a team leader and being a good example for other waste pickers. Foto: Rowena Garcia at the dumpsite Calajunan (Salome Villamor)


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Difficulties in stocking the recovered AFR in tonner bags provided by Holcim were resolved by baling the AFR materials and by transporting them daily to the Holcim station at the Iloilo City harbor. The eco-aides engaged by the LG support the workers at the sorting plant, e.g. in packing the AFR bales. Other needs like providing a covered area for incoming waste to protect the material from heavy rains could be resolved. A new sorting area has been constructed that offers a bigger space for the sorting plant since January 2010. In the meantime the supervising Environmental Management Bureau released a Department Administrative Order (DENR, 2010) that recognizes coprocessing of segregated waste as SWM option. Subsequently, Holcim confirmed to be interested to explore possibilities for registering the process as a measure under the Clean Development Mechanism. Success factors for the operation of the waste sorting plant An opportunity for the evolution of waste picker’s activities at the Calajunan dumpsite was the existence of the waste sorting infrastructure (MRF) financed by prior development support of JICA. The willingness of the mayor to support the use of the MRF financially and through regular follow-up activities by the LG staff was also essential for the establishment of the sorting activities. The partnership with Holcim was and still is the most important element to realize the AFR sorting activities and thus to establish the group as a professional waste sorting enterprise. In addition, the “learning” approach to organize and document test runs for analyzing the waste composition and the best approaches to recover waste fractions as well as the probable costs for recovery constitutes a strength in the establishment of sustainable waste recovery approaches. Impact: The new initiatives for waste recovery made it possible to provide additional livelihood for waste workers likewise reducing the amount of waste to be forwarded to the disposal site. The sorting plant is a good practice example on the links of industrial/ energy production and waste management whereas the waste pickers themselves make suggestions on how to improve processes. However, the cost-efficiency of the sorting activities needs to be improved and the business relations with clients for AFR materials stabilized.


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5. Other UCLA activities In parallel to providing trainings and job opportunities within the municipal SWM system, the LG gradually integrated interested waste pickers into various local work programs, especially in composting and construction works. In the meantime around 30 workers were absorbed by local construction activities whereas the LG selected workers with former experience to support other development projects, e,g, for dumpsite rehabilitation, fence and road repair but also to construct the UCLA center. Following the completion of the livelihood center in February 2010, some members engaged in organic farming and the production of paper briquettes whereas other waste pickers found new employment as recyclers in informal junkshops. Besides, the LG engaged socalled eco-aides to use some of the segregated organic residues (coconut residues and others) to produce compost/ soil conditioner. These products are used to maintain public parks, to conduct city green works or for landscaping. Some of the eco-aides also support the workers at the sorting plant if needed, e.g. for bailing and storing AFR. Furthermore, several waste workers were absorbed by the LG to serve as security guard, to supervise child-caring activities and to work at the newly established weighing bridge to record incoming waste trucks.

6. Achievements of UCLA and former informal waste workers The Uswag Calajunan Livelihood Association (UCLA) was officially registered as incorporated company in May 2009. This enabled the waste picker’s group to enter formal business relations and sign contracts. UCLA aims to diversify its project activities and to enhance internal organizational procedures in order to better manage the various activities and the sub-groups of the corporation. A common center was constructed near the Calajunan dumpsite and serves as a meeting point for exchange and training. The development project, the municipality and several local NGOs regularly offer trainings to support the UCLA development process and the started recycling projects. Especially the woman’s recycling group that produces various handicrafts, bags and paper jewellery was able to enhance their working conditions and income significantly in the meantime.


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The active engagement of private persons and entrepreneurs like the UCLA president (a protestant pastor) and vice-president (a local business-woman) are very important. They actively promote UCLA projects and their dedication makes the group visible in the local context. The vice-president invests her time to supervise the MRF plant and for attending numerous meetings with the municipality and involved stakeholders. The president bailed out free of charge a lot near to the dumpsite to the group and supported the construction of the UCLA center in order to provide a common place where waste workers can meet and attend trainings etc. With the Philipine-Japanese NGO LOOB, a supporter and prominent client for the recycling products of the shop emerged. LOOB guarantees a regular income to the recycler’s group for handicraft making of the newly formalized company. In general, the income of the informal workers included in the new recycling activities has evolved very positively. The income of workers engaged at the sorting plant reaches 150 – 250 PhP/day, members of the woman group who produce recycling bags etc earn around 200 PhP/day, whereas many waste pickers at the dumpsite earn less with 70-150 PhP/day. Workers absorbed by construction works earn +180 PhP/day. In comparison, the official minimum salary is 256 PHP/ day for LG workers, whereas the workers of the contracted waste collection company earn around 260 PHP/day. The social aspects of working in groups and participating in common meetings or events contributes to increase team members confidence and to strengthen the commitment and trust that further improvements are possible for UCLA and its members. This development also opens new perspectives for waste pickers and their acceptance in the community. Additionally, the involvement of waste pickers in specific alternative activities, such as construction or in the recycling center has helped them to practice other tasks that open opportunities and jobs outside the waste sector.

6.1 Challenges In spite of the achievements of UCLA, the group experiences various challenges. On the one hand, UCLA has to address some weaknesses regarding capacities and organizational development that constitute hurdles to a long-term successful evolution of the organization. On the other hand, UCLA has to pursue new options and markets in order to establish long-term economic activities as a company. Furthermore, establishing contacts with stakeholders, participating in networks and regular UCLA activities as well as knowing and following the agreed UCLA guidelines are challenges for many members.

6.2 Weaknesses Business management skills of UCLA members A weakness for the organizational and business development of UCLA is the low level of education of most members. This affects the efficiency of activities and the development of new initiatives, products etc. Marketing and management are clear weaknesses of the different subgroups of UCLA. Experiences of the recycling shop show that several opportunities to sell greater quantities of products to external clients could not be realized due to lack of capacity to produce greater and regular quantities of high-quality products that satisfy requirements of export markets. Marketing also functions through personal connections and irregular events of the development cooperation community. For receiving orders to deliver recycling bags, the group strongly depends on the initiative of an international consultant and his contacts.


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Systematic strategies to contact hotels, tourist agencies, souvenir shops or public fairs need to be considered. The ideas developed with a local designer’s guild have not been implemented on a larger scale due to lacking orders. For the group to be more independent of external support, intensive training in management issues, business planning and marketing is necessary. Such trainings should be provided primarily to members that have shown dynamism and leadership potential in the previous activities. Organizational development Although the registration of the incorporated company UCLA was completed, many organizational questions remain unsolved, for example if a joint management of incomes of the different groups of members, e.g. the recycling shop, the sorting facility, members working individually on the dumpsite or construction workers would be feasible. The new incorporation disposes of a bank account, but for the moment, this account is only used for some incomes received by the UCLA sub-groups. The growing differences in income might lead to conflicts among the UCLA members or might induce members to leave the company. Until now, some members are ambivalent if the organization is really a good option for them. Especially younger men, who often have part-time employment outside UCLA do not seem to be willing to invest themselves for the success of the company. This makes some processes in the operation of the MRF plant that needs support by young men more difficult. Efficiency of AFR production process After conduct of the 100-day test run, the efficiency in AFR recovery diminished. The hope that switching from tonner bags to bales would increase the efficiency did not materialize yet. The efficiency differs significantly according to varying working conditions, but even in the most efficient days, the target recovery rates could not be achieved. The reasons for this reduced efficiency are not clear yet. Factors such as the lack of coverage of waste storage place - that hinders works during the rainy season - the introduction of new machines and the maintenance and reparation activities of the equipment may play a decisive role. The determination of possible improvements in this process are an important precondition for future success of the sorting plant. The collaboration with Holcim provides an income to the workers at the sorting plant, but this income has to be secured by a new Memorandum of Agreement between Holcim and the municipality. The long-term support by Holcim is not secured, and the way forward has to be discussed. The operational costs of the AFR sorting facility are currently higher (64 US$ per ton according to the test run) than the price Holcim pays for receiving (10 US$ per ton). Thus, the production efficiency has to be improved in order to make the sub-activity more sustainable. Further options for UCLA development One option to enhance material recovery and to provide additional jobs for UCLA members would be to increase the recovery of organic waste for composting or the recovery of fine organic materials for producing e.g. biomass pellets. Until now, the production of compost was too low due to lack of marketing options and due to lack of space for high-quality composting processes and stocking. Furthermore, additional capacity building for the woman’s recycling group could increase material recovery for local markets, whereby the skills development in sewing for example has offered some woman already additional jobs to produce school uniforms for kids. It was further discussed to produce worker uniforms for UCLA and the LG by the woman’s group.


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7. Conclusions and recommendations In low- and middle income countries, municipal SWM includes thousands of informal waste workers, among them women, children and elderly, who depend on informal waste collection and recovery as a means of livelihood whereas legal regulations that could protect their activities are often lacking and hence their livelihood is very vulnerable. In order to allow their participation and local SWM enhancements likewise, the informal sector needs to be formalized and incorporated into waste collection, sorting and recycling activities whenever possible. Working with informal waste workers is one possible form of private sector participation or public-private partnership to enhance municipal waste management. Key strategies to integrate the informal waste sector are:  Formulate and enforce policies that allow the integration of the informal waste sector in the

local SWM system;  Design waste management plans and feasibility studies for SWM in a manner that allows    

  

participation and integration of the informal sector; Enable meetings and processes that make the informal sectors role and contributions for waste management visible; Initiate activities that support team-building and formalization of informal sector players, at least to a level that allows formal recognition and contracting by the local municipality; Support the informal sector to develop valid and sustainable contributions that actively support the municipal waste management system; Assist the informal sector to have access to employment and alternative livelihood opportunities by providing knowledge and skills development and protecting them from occupational hazards and risks; Provide access to basic social services including water supply, sanitation, health and child care, education and enhanced living conditions; Facilitate and strengthen partnerships by and between the informal sector with the private sector, the local government and civil society groups; Enforce laws on child labour and assist children’s access to regular school education.

The development program SWM4LGUs delivered important outcomes that demonstrate that the integration of informal waste sector is feasible can be beneficial for all involved stakeholders. Iloilo City is the first Local Government in the Philippines that recovers AFR out of the municipal solid waste stream as a routine operation. By doing so, further opportunities emerged to increase material recovery and to provide alternative jobs for waste workers. The project managed the formation of a local association for waste workers that enabled organization and legalization of former waste pickers within a legal business entity, an important milestone to strengthen their role as stakeholder, and to develop further livelihood options. At present, UCLA consists of 150 members, and an UCLA-Board was founded with 12 members that introduced basic policies as well as working guidelines. UCLAs involvement into the municipal SWM program offers many benefits such as increased material recovery and reduced efforts for waste disposal. Moreover, the project contributes to poverty alleviation for local waste workers, who may obtain a more stable income and better work and living conditions. Lastly, Holcim Philippines can acquire AFR on a regular basis, which would also assist to reduce import and use of fossil fuels for cement production, a further contribution to reduce harmful GHG emissions besides the significantly increased material recovery due to the project intervention.


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References Acosta, V.L.; Paul, J.G.; Ricana, M.V.F.; Maceda, L. & Aguinaldo, E. (2011): Implementing Regional Ecology Centers in the Visayas Region, Philippines: Networking to enhance Sector Development and Solid Waste Management. – Proceedings of the ISWMC, Hongkong, 2.-6. May 2011, 4 pages. Boorsma, J.D.; Paul, J.G. & Saraña, G. (2009): Establishment of a Waste Management and Ecology Center in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, Philippines. - Proceedings of the International Conference WASTESAFE, Khulna, Bangladesh, 10.12. November 2009, 10 pages. Boorsma, J.; Gaudiel, R. & Paul, J.G. (2011a): Cost Recovery Mechanism to enhance Solid Waste Management in Bayawan City, Philippines. Proceedings of the International SWM Conference - Moving Towards Sustainable Resource Management in Hongkong, 2.-6. May 2011, 4 pages. CeMAP (2008): Guidance Manual on the Use of Alternative Fuel and Raw Materials in Cement Kiln Co-processing. – Cement Association of the Philippines supported by GTZ and Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Makati City, Philippines. https://www.denr.gov.ph/laws-and-policies.html DENR (2010): DENR Administrative Order No. 2010-06. Guideline on the Use of Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials in Cement Kilns. – Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Quezon City, Philippines. GIZ Philippines (2012): ECO-CENTER: Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility with Sanitary Landfill and Resources Recovery Technologies. – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), authors: Acosta, V.; Paul, J. & Hanuschke, K., Manila, Philippines, 47 pages. Gerdes, P. & Gunsilius, E. (2010): The Waste Experts: Enabling Conditions for Informal Sector Integration in Solid Waste Management. – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Eschborn, Germany, 31 pages. Paul, J. G.; Jaque, D.; Kintanar, R.; Sapilan, J. & Gallo, R. (2007): “End-of-the-Pipe” Material Recovery to reduce Waste Disposal and to motivate the Informel Sector to participate in Site Improvements at the Calajunan Dumpsite in Iloilo City, Philippines. - Proceedings of the International Conference SARDINIA, Cagliari, Italy, 12 pages. Paul, J. G.; Ravena, N.; Lange, S. & Paredes, E. (2009a): Technical and Socio-Economic Aspects of a 100-day Material Recovery Test for the Production of Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials (AFR) in Iloilo City, Philippines. – International Conference SARDINIA, October 1-5, 2009, Cagliari, Italy, 12 pages.


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Paul, J. G.; Jaque, J.; Ravena, N.; Villamor, S. & Paredes, E. (2009b): Recovery of Alternative Fuels and Raw materials (AFR) and its Socio-Economic Benefits for Waste Reclaimers at the Calahunan dumpsite in Iloilo City, Philippines. – Proceedings of the International Conference WASTESAFE, Khulna, Bangladesh, 10.-12. November 2009, 10 pages. Paul, J. G.; Ravena, R., Villamor, S., Gunsilius, E. & Paredes, E. (2010): Responding to Climate Change and Alleviating Poverty: Recovery of Alternative Fuels and Raw materials by Waste Pickers. – Paper and Presentation at the World Congress of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), Hamburg, Germany, Nov. 15-18, 2010, 12 pages. Paul, J.G.; Arce-Jaque, J.; Ravena, N. & Villamor, S. P. (2012a): Integration of the Informal Sector into Municipal Solid Waste Management Systems in the Philippines – What does it need! – WASTE MANAGEMENT Volume 32, Issue 11, November 2012, ISSN 0956-053X, pages 2018-2028. Paul, J.G.; Sanchez, L.; Batholomaque, A. & Hanuschke, K. (2012b): Evaluation of innovative, appropriate technologies to increase organic waste recovery at the Eco-Center San Carlos City, Negros Island, Philippines – International Conference ORBIT, Rennes, France, 10 pages. Quiroga, M.A.; Hamhaber, J.; Nehren, U. & Paul, J.G. (2011): Assessment of a Solid Waste Management System: Social Impacts on former Waste Pickers, Case Study: San Carlos City, Philippines. – Proceedings of the ISWMC, 2.-6. May 2011, Hongkong, 4 pages. RA 9003 (2001): Republic Act 9003, Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of the Philippines. – Congress of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines. RA 9729 (2009): Climate Change Act – Republic Act 9729. – 14th Congress, 3rd Regular Session, October 23, 2009, Manila, Philippines, 10 pages. Romallosa, A.R.D.; Hornada, K.J.C.; Ravena, N. & Paul, J.G. (2011a): Testing of Briquette Production for Household use by Informal Waste Workers at the Calahunan Dumpsite in Iloilo City, Philippines. – Proceedings of the International SWM Conference Moving Towards Sustainable Resource Management in Hongkong, 2.-6. May 2011, 4 pages. Romallosa, A.R.D.; Hornada, K.J.C. & Paul, J.G. (2011b): Evaluation of the Quality of Briquettes produced from Biomass and Urban Wastes using a Household Briquette Molder. – Proceedings of the 2. International Conference WASTESAFE, Khulna, Bangladesh, 13.-15. February 2011, 10 pages. Solid Waste Management Association (SWAPP) of the Philippines (2009): National Framework Plan for the Integration of the Informal Sector in Solid Waste Management. – SWAPP, Makati City, Philippines, 42 pages. Villamor, S. (2009): Social Development Program for the Recyclers, Iloilo City, Philippines. - Presentation on UCLA Annual Assembly, December 2009, Iloilo City, Philippines


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