Growing environmental risks driven by the extreme heat and disasters has prompted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to tighten regulations on sanitary landfills, following a nationwide audit of waste disposal facilities.
A recent memorandum issued by the DENR directed sanitary landfill operators to submit contingency plans covering fire incidents and other emergencies to the Environmental Management Bureau.
The contingency plans must include fire prevention and suppression measures, installation and maintenance of gas venting and monitoring systems, inter-agency coordination mechanisms, evacuation and public safety procedures, and rehabilitation and mitigation measures.
“The EMB emphasized that preparedness is critical to minimizing risks to public health, property, and the environment, especially under extreme heat conditions,” said director Jacqueline Caancan.
The department also reminded local government units to immediately cease operations of open and controlled dumpsites to protect nearby communities, emphasizing that the status of closed dumpsites must be verified to ensure compliance with national closure and rehabilitation guidelines.
“Regional directors were also ordered to conduct regular inspections and validation of disposal facilities, assess risks and site conditions, and identify high-risk areas requiring immediate intervention,” the DENR added.
The stricter landfill oversight forms part of broader efforts to address the country’s rising heat index and the increasing prevalence of fire incidents in waste disposal sites.
Recent incidents involving landfills, such as the fire at the Navotas sanitary landfill that has been burning for three weeks, and the landslide at the Binaliw sanitary landfill that resulted in 36 deaths and 18 injuries, demonstrate the need for better oversight to ensure the safety of its operations and that of the public. In a country where people would rather not think about their trash after it has been collected, it becomes the job of the government to ensure that our trash is properly and safely disposed of, wherever it may end up.*
