Prime Infra, the firm that focuses on “building assets that support the most urgent sustainability priorities – energy, access to clean water, and waste management,” has issued an official statement to refute what it calls “malicious disinformation spread by Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation during a recent media briefing. 

We strongly refute the malicious disinformation spread by Metro Clark Waste Management Corp. (MCWM) against our waste management subsidiary, Prime Integrated Waste Solutions (PWS), during a media briefing on June 20, 2024.

One of MCWM’s claims involves a misleading photo they presented as PWS’ operational facility in Cebu City, even falsely referring to it “like Payatas.” To clarify for MCWM and its Technical Director, Holger Holst, the photo can easily be traced back to a Reuters special report from 2021 and is actually of a landfill in Indonesia. 

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/environment-plastic-cement/)

For Mr. Holst’s reference, here are accurate images of our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Cebu City taken June 21. 

PWS implemented a transformation strategy in the said facility upon acquiring it in 2022. We are currently evaluating our options with regard to pursuing legal action for potential defamation.

PWS’ approach uses a high-tech process to sort, segregate, and process waste based on short-term and medium-term usage. We commit to recover and recycle 80% to 90% of total waste received in our facility, with residuals as the only items to be baled and stored with potential to be used in the future.

Regarding our MRF in Pampanga, we wish to point out that our facility will run four lines, with a total capacity of up to 5,000 tons per day. These lines also account for redundancy and unforeseen surges in waste (e.g., during holidays and typhoons). Specifically, each line, comprising a magnetic separator, vibrating sieve, air density separator, and baler system, can handle up to 2,000 tons in a 24-hour operation.

Municipal solid waste composition is heterogenous with certain ranges for specific categories, such as organics – estimated at 25% to 30% (moisture <40%) and inorganics at 65% to 75% (moisture <20%).

Based on actual test runs, a sample mass balance computation for a 1,000-ton-per-day processing line would result as such: moisture losses during processing to account for 15% (150 tons), organics sorting and baling – 40% (400 tons), recyclables – 5% (50 tons), refuse derived fuel/plastics – 20% (200 tons), and residuals – 20% (200 tons).

Thus, it is possible to process at least 80% of the incoming wastes. Our facilities—both in Cebu City and Pampanga—will continue to optimize and upgrade as they operate and understand the waste streams over time.

PWS’ operations align with policy measures promoting a circular economy, such as the Extended Producer Responsibility and Renewable Energy laws, enabling us to contribute globally to the battle against plastic pollution and methane emissions. Our modern MRFs also amplify the growing awareness of efficient waste management and promote employment in our host communities.

With PWS, we affirm our commitment to industrializing waste management in the Philippines to respond to the increasing demand for proper waste management and resource recovery solutions.