Landfill inspections to be completed this quarter

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it hopes to complete a comprehensive national review of landfill facilities by the end of the first quarter, following the recent collapse of a landfill in Cebu City.

At a briefing on Tuesday, Environment Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said the DENR is concerned about the impact of recent calamities on the stability and safety of waste disposal facilities.

“Inspections are conducted regularly at the regional and provincial levels, but in light of the Cebu incident and recent earthquakes and typhoons, we need a comprehensive nationwide review of all solid waste facilities to ensure this does not happen again,” Mr. Lotilla said.

On Jan. 8, a garbage pile estimated by local officials to be as tall as a 20-storey building, collapsed in Binaliw, Cebu City, crushing a materials recovery facility and killing 36 workers.

The DENR has formed an investigative body to look into the Binaliw incident. It also directed regional offices to enforce safety protocols.

Assistant Secretary and Environmental Management Bureau Director Jacqueline A. Caancan said the review will be more in-depth and will involve the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).

“We will be involving the MGB because of the needed technical expertise. Previous geological assessments will be revisited, as site conditions may have changed due to heavy rains and seismic activities,” she said.

The DENR said the review is ongoing and is expected to be completed before the end of the first quarter.

Environmental groups have flagged insufficient monitoring of landfills, saying lax oversight has contributed to repeated safety and environmental risks.

Meanwhile, the DENR said it will also work closely with local government units (LGUs) to ensure compliance with Republic Act (RA) No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which requires LGUs to submit 10-year solid waste management plans.

While the number of LGUs with approved plans has increased in recent years, the degree of implementation still varies, the DENR said.

“Out of 1,642 LGUs, there is a high level of compliance at 1,515. That means 92% of them submitted their solid waste management plans. But the challenge is in implementation. We also have around 13,734 materials recovery facilities at the local level, but that does not cover all barangays,” Mr. Lotilla said.

The DENR said it will assist LGUs in identifying landfill expansion areas, evaluating the suitability of new sites, and exploring options such as clustering facilities to improve waste management efficiency.

“The MGB will help the LGUs by examining the suitability of the geology of the area. The LGU is the one that identifies the area, and we examine it,” Mr. Lotilla said.

The DENR said it is also exploring alternative waste disposal methods, including waste-to-energy projects and technologies that recycle or repurpose plastic waste.

Undersecretary Juan Miguel T. Cuna also told reporters that Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo plans to file an amendment to RA 9003, which she signed into law when she was president in 2001. Proposed changes could allow the use of waste-to-energy projects to help manage the disposal problem.

Mr. Lotilla said new incineration and waste-to-energy technologies developed since the law’s passage can now meet current environmental standards. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel