Landfill emergency plans sought

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it has ordered sanitary landfill operators nationwide to submit emergency contingency plans, following a series of waste management incidents and a recent audit of disposal facilities.

In a memorandum dated April 22, the agency’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) directed landfill operators to submit contingency plans addressing fire and other potential emergencies.

“The required contingency plans must outline fire prevention and suppression measures; emergency response protocols for fires, slope failure, leachate overflow, and gas explosions; installation and maintenance of gas venting and monitoring systems,” the DENR said in a statement on Sunday.

It added that the plans must detail coordination mechanisms with relevant government offices, evacuation and public safety procedures, and post-incident rehabilitation and environmental mitigation measures.

The DENR said the directive aims to reduce risks to nearby communities, particularly amid extreme heat conditions that may heighten the risk of landfill fires.

The agency said the EMB also reminded local government units that open dumping remains prohibited under Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

“Open dumping remains strictly prohibited and that operating open or controlled dumpsites should be directed to immediately stop operations and implement their Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan,” the DENR said.

For sites that have already been closed, the DENR said its regional offices have been tasked with verifying rehabilitation status and providing technical assistance to operators.

“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,” it added.

The latest directive comes amid a string of landfill-related incidents in recent months that have raised concerns over safety and regulatory enforcement.

In January, at least 35 people were killed when a portion of a privately operated landfill in Binaliw, Cebu City collapsed and buried a nearby materials recovery facility. This was followed in February by a trash slide in Rodriguez, Rizal, which left at least one person dead.

More recently, on April 10, a fire broke out at a landfill in Navotas, scorching an estimated 28 hectares and affecting air quality across parts of Metro Manila and nearby areas. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel