THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has found a model for sustainable waste management and flood control that will transform water hyacinths into charcoal briquettes and convert lily pots for gardening and community use.
The Tapayan Pumping Station in the Tapayan River in East Bank Road, Taytay, Rizal will be the collection point because it is heavily covered by water hyacinths.
Water hyacinths are a major contributor to waterway obstruction and flooding with their rapid growth, posing a significant threat to Metro Manila’s outdated drainage system.
MMDA Flood Management Project Office Engineer John Chrisler Lucero said they were able to turn the highly invasive plant into something that will contribute to cleaner waterways and a more sustainable environment.
Lucero said the MMDA decided to collect these plants and process them into charcoal briquettes and lily pot.
“The abundance of water hyacinths severely hinders water flow and impacts the efficiency of our pumping stations. Removing them is crucial for flood mitigation. As they habitually form thick mats that impede water flow, they tend to reduce the capacity of waterways and increase the likelihood of overflows and flooding,” Lucero said.
“By processing these plants at the Tapayan facility, we do not only alleviate these issues but also contribute to cleaner waterways and a more sustainable environment,” he added.
For charcoal briquettes, Lucero explained, the dried plants undergo carbonization or heating and are mixed with a specific ratio of soil and water before extrusion into briquettes of the desired shape and size.
Lily pots, on the other hand, are formed by bundling the dried hyacinths, placing them in a mold, and using a hydraulic press to shape them into pots. A binder is added to enhance the pots’ durability.
“This facility enables MMDA to unclog waterways by harvesting water hyacinths without disposing of them in landfills where these generate harmful greenhouse gases like methane, their environmental impact is significantly reduced. Repurposing these plants into valuable products promotes a circular economy,” he added.
As of the first week of February, the MMDA has recovered 19,881 kilos of water hyacinths from the Tapayan river, resulting in the production of 4,506 charcoal briquettes and 226 lily pots.
Lucero said the pumping station, one of the 71 facilities the MMDA operates, serves as a vital component of the agency’s comprehensive flood mitigation strategy.
“By effectively removing water hyacinths, the facility directly improves drainage capacity and reduces the risk of flooding in the affected areas. It exemplifies MMDA’s commitment to innovative solutions by transforming waste into resources. The agency is paving the way for a cleaner, greener, and more resilient future for Metro Manila,” he added.
Lucero said the agency also actively engages with local communities near the pumping station through “palit-kalakal” initiatives, where residents can exchange recyclable materials such as plastic and glass for briquettes and lily pots.
He said this incentivizes proper waste segregation and encourages communities to participate in sustainable solid waste management programs.
A 2023 waste analysis and characterization study in Metro Manila that the MMDA conducted, showed that 21, 44 percent of household wastes can be recycled, while a separate report of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Environmental Management Bureau estimated that 85 percent of waste generated can be composted.
