THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Pasig City government said they will harness Black Soldier Fly technology to divert organic waste from landfills for productive use through the city’s Integrated Circular Economy (ICE) Hub.
The centralized facility is designed to process biodegradable waste collected from households, villages and commercial establishments. It utilizes Black Soldier Fly larvae to break down food waste and convert it into value-added outputs such as animal feed and organic fertilizer.
”Today marks a meaningful milestone for Metro Manila as we express our full support to Pasig City in the inauguration of its integrated circular economy hub,” MMDA Chairman Don Artes said during the signing of the memorandum of agreement on Saturday.
”The Authority is proud to contribute to this effort through the Enhanced Materials Recovery Facility using Black Soldier Fly technology, where properly segregated food waste from households, villages and commercial establishments is transformed into valuable outputs... showing circular economy in action,” he added.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said the ICE Hub addresses a long-standing gap between waste segregation policies and the government’s actual capacity to process what residents sort at home.
”We asked them to segregate at source, but we understandably received complaints that they segregate their waste, the garbage collector collects it, and then it all goes to the same landfill,” Sotto said. “We upcycle what can be upcycled, and in the process we will generate jobs, we will bring in investments to the city, and we will complete the full circle — the circular economy.”
According to a study published in the Philippine Journal of Science, Black Soldier Fly larvae is the larval stage of Hermetia illucens. It has the ability to convert organic waste into protein-rich biomass, reducing waste while producing animal feed and plant fertilizer.