Civil Society Groups Step Up Information Drive vs. "Waste-to-Energy" Incineration
Atty. Gloria Estenzo-Ramos
Environmental, health and labor groups belonging to the Stop Waste-to-Energy (WtE)
The Stop WtE Alliance counts among its partners the Ang Nars Party List, Bangon Kalikasan Movement, Cavite Green Coalition, Concerned Citizens Advocating Philippine Environmental Sustainability, EcoWaste Coalition, Freedom from Debt Coalition-Cebu, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Green Convergence for Safe Food, Healthy Environment and Sustainable Economy, Greenpeace, Health Care Without Harm, Mother Earth Foundation, Philippine Earth Justice Center, Partnership for Clean Air, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation, Sanlakas, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, Zero Waste Philippines, Zero Waste Recycling Movement of the Philippines Foundation and other advocates for sustainable development.
Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, an environmental scientist, and Atty. Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, an environmental law expert, will serve as key resource persons in the forum that is expected to draw 100 participants from the academe, government, healthcare sector, industry and the civil society.
“This forum is part of our renewed effort to enlighten concerned sectors about burn WTE technologies as false solutions to our country’s garbage problem and energy needs, and dissuade Congress, national government agencies and local government units from falling into the costly quick-fix trap,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.
Ramos will explain why the ongoing push for burn WtE technologies goes against the spirit and intent of the incineration ban under Section 20 of the Clean Air Act, which prohibits the burning of municipal, bio-medical and hazardous wastes.
Ramos taught at the University of Cebu College of Law (UC) teaching Environmental Law, among others, and co-established the Cebu-based Philippine Earth Justice Center. Ramos is currently the Vice-President for the Philippines of Oceana, an international organization that is working to protect and restore the oceans on a global scale.
Emmanuel will clarify the myths about burn WtE technologies and present the facts, including emissions associated with the incineration of waste. Emmanuel was Chief Technical Advisor on health care waste for the United Nations Development Program. He was a member of the expert group that developed the Guidelines for Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practices under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
He received his academic training in chemistry at North Carolina State University, environmental engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, chemical engineering at the University of Michigan, environmental management specializing in hazardous waste at the University of California at Berkeley, public health at the University of Iowa, infection control and prevention with the Association of Professionals in Infection Control, and renewable energy technologies at Stanford University.
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