The Sarangani provincial government plans to develop its medical waste treatment facility in Alabel town into a sustainable local economic enterprise (LEE).

Engr. Gerald Faciol, assistant provincial administrator, said Monday they are working on the necessary mechanisms that would enhance the operations of the facility and eventually transform it into an income-generating entity.

Dubbed Sarangani Waste Treatment Facility, the project was initially commissioned by the local government last month after getting approval from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Region 12.

The provincial government completed late last year the construction of the PHP19 million facility, which uses the pyroclave technology.

“It’s a sure income-generating project. Definitely, it will be subjected to LEE,” Faciol said in a statement.

Rolando Tuballes, head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, said the facility managed to process 150 to 400 kilos of medical wastes per hour based on its test run last month.

With such an efficiency rate, Tuballes said it would only operate two days each week to process wastes generated daily by the six provincial government-run and supported hospitals.

The province’s six hospitals produce an average of 120 kilos of medical waste daily, with 20 kilos considered as infectious.

“(This) is an opportunity for us to offer our services to the hospitals in General Santos City,” Tuballes said.

The official said they are fast-tracking the construction of a temporary disposal site to allow the facility, situated in Barangay Bagacay in Alabel, to fully operate.

Based on the guidelines issued by the Department of Health, he said the provincial government is allowed to establish a temporary disposal facility and use it for a maximum of two years.

“That will give us enough time to complete the construction of our sanitary landfill,” he said.

The modified category 3 sanitary landfill will be built in a 2.8-hectare area following a recommendation from EMB and the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, he said.

The provincial government started the project in July last year through the Davao City-based clean technology firm RAD Green Solutions, the developer of proprietary technology Pyroclave Optima.

Pyroclave Optima — considered as one of the best non-incineration technologies available in the market — is a medical waste processor that uses pyrolysis, the process of decomposing waste materials using extreme heat without direct contact with the waste materials. (PNA)