FPA certifies Universal Robina Corporation as generator of wastewater fertilizer

Written by Francis Felimon V. Villamon, Provincial Officer of Negros Occidental  l  Published: 07 July 2022

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL | June 29, 2022 – Deputy Executive Director (DED) for Fertilizer Dr. Myer Mula together with FPA Regional Field Unit (RFU) 6, visited Universal Robina Corporation – La Carlota Distillery at Brgy. Nagasi, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental last June 22, 2022, for compliance monitoring.

The distillery was found compliant with FPA standards. The company was proven to be in good standing after the first year of its validity, hence, they are qualified for a 3-year valid certification.

Under the Department of Agriculture Administrative Order (AO) No. 11 series of 2019, re-use of wastewater for fertilization would only be allowed after securing a Certification of Safe Wastewater Re-use from FPA.

The certification would consider:

• Location and access – including topographic, characteristics, and soil condition
• Characteristics of wastewater – including the concentration of macronutrients, micronutrients, heavy metals, pH level and electrical conductivity, and presence of pathogens
• Plan on the re-use of wastewater – which area are to be fertilized, proposed crop/s, method of application, quantity of wastewater, schedule of application, nutrient management plan, and storage management

Plant Manager Noli Segovia and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Manager Shiela Lou Amor presented the process flow on how the wastewater was produced. They also showed the actual application in sugarcane farms.

The recommended large-scale application of liquid fertilizer to increase sugar yield is 200 m3/ha of liquid fertilizer within 1-6 months after planting sugarcane.

As donation, the wastewater was safe for re-use as fertilizer with the nutrient content of:

• Nitrogen (N) = 0.03%
• Potassium (K) = 0.30%
• Phosphorus (P) = 0.31%
• pH level = 7.81

The company has donated wastewater fertilizer to sugarcane farms in the areas since 2021 and has received positive feedback from its farmer beneficiaries. The farmers boasted of having saved 60% of production cost from reduced use of inorganic fertilizer.

Universal Robina Corporation – La Carlota Distillery would need to apply for the renewal of safe re-use of wastewater before September 14 to keep donating their wastewaters to farms. Dr. Mula recommended the company to apply for a Certificate for Product Registration (CPR) to FPA’s Fertilizer Regulations Division (FRD) if they want to sell their wastewater fertilizer to the market. ###

Sources:

Department of Agriculture. (2019). Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 11 series 2019: Revised Guidelines on the Procedures and Technical Requirements for the Issuance of a Certification Allowing the Safe Re-use of Wastewater for Purposes of Irrigation and Other Agricultural Uses, Pursuant to Section 22.C of R.A. 9275 Otherwise Known as the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004. http://bswm.da.gov.ph/download/da-ao-no-11-s-2019/

Migo, V. Management of Sugar Industry Wastewaters as Fertilizer and Irrigation Water.