31 August 2012: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a partnership with consumer goods company Procter & Gamble Co. to assess the viability and sustainability of waste-to-energy plants in Manila, the Philippines. If deemed viable, a waste-to-energy plant will be piloted in Manila by 2016.

According to the ADB, it is providing US$385,000 in technical assistance, equivalent to 60% of the total cost of the study. The project also plans to develop a municipal solid waste management system based on a flexible business model and supply chain for the collection and treatment of municipal solid waste.

ADB notes that approximately 6,700 tons of solid waste is generated daily in Manila, and this equates to potential energy generation of two megawatts of power. Currently only 720 tons are recycled or composted, with the remaining being taken to dump sites, openly burned, or dumped illegally on private land, in rivers, creeks, or Manila Bay. [ADB Press Release]