Spectrum Blue Steel Corporation announced the launch of the Blueprint for Zero Waste Philippines this week. The announcement comes after the finalization of Spectrum Blue Steel's agreement with Morong, Rizal and its mayor, Joseph Buenaventura.

Morong has a population of only 52,000 people, but is the site of a forty hectare (almost 100 acres) landfill. Almost 8,000 tons of garbage goes to Morong each day from Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Spectrum Blue Steel, under its agreement with Morong, will build a pilot gasification plant in the town. The trash trucked into Morong each day will be used to produce electricity for the town. The plant is expected to generate between 600 and 700 megawatts each day; the power will then be sold to electric distribution cooperatives.

Under the Arroyo administration, the Philippines have seen soaring energy costs. The government has committed to moving to renewable energy under the Medium Term Development Plan for the Philippines. Spectrum Blue Steel has an exclusive license from the Global Environmental Energy Corporation to use the biosphere process in the Philippines. The company's long-term plans include building 1,500 gasification facilities throughout the Philippines and is working with the Union of Local Associations of the Philippines (an organization comprising governors, mayors and officials throughout the Philippines).

Photo — Larawan