Twenty years after the enactment of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the Philippines has managed to build only a total of 108 sanitary landfills nationwide, or 10 percent of what is actually needed, and a far cry from the estimated 1,700 requirement for the proper disposal of garbage, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.
The DENR hopes to put up more sanitary landfills before President Duterte’s term ends in 2022.
Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny D. Antiporda said the sanitary landfill is the primary long-term method of solid waste disposal allowed under the law.
Antiporda issued the statement as the DENR spearheaded a cleanup drive at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetlands Park (LPPWP), formerly called Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) on Friday to culminate the celebration of January as Zero-Waste Month.
The event was also attended by Sen. Cynthia Villar, Parañaque Rep. Eric Olivarez, Philippine National Police Maritime Group Director Police Brig. Gen. R’win Pagkalinawan, and NSWMC Vice Chairman Crispian Lao.
An engineered sanitary landfill is required in any LGU as a means of safe disposal of untreated solid waste, or recovery of residual wastes, Antiporda said.
Unfortunately, the DENR official said, the number of sanitary landfills in the country remains inadequate.
“What we need in this country is about 1,700 sanitary landfills for all the municipalities and cities. But, sad to say, we only have 108 as of the moment and this number could even decrease in the future,” Antiporda lamented.
Worse, he added, many of the country’s sanitary landfills are nearly full or reaching maximum capacity. If this happens, he said, some LGUs might go back to operating open dump site, which is illegal under RA 9003.
“We will not allow this to happen,” he said.
Under the leadership of Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, Antiporda said, the DENR will do everything to ensure the establishment of more sanitary landfills.
Cimatu had earlier ordered Antiporda, in his capacity as NSWMC head, to “review and revise” DENR Administrative Order 2001-34, or the implementing rules and regulations of RA 9003, to make the establishment and operation of a sanitary landfill easier and less expensive.
The DENR chief noted that a lot of LGUs find it difficult to comply with the law as building and maintaining a sanitary landfill can be costly and somewhat complicated.
A sanitary landfill is a solid waste management facility that utilizes an engineered method of waste disposal, primarily for municipal solid waste. An “engineered” method of landfilling means that garbage is handled at a disposal facility that is designed, constructed and operated in a manner protective of public health and the environment.
In constructing more sanitary landfills, the DENR is also eyeing to close down more than 300 open dumps across the country, the operation of which has since been declared illegal by the garbage law.
Aside from pushing for proper solid waste management through reduction, recycling and reuse of wastes, the DENR is also eyeing to promote waste-to-energy as a solution to the garbage problem although this strategy is being met with strong opposition by environmental groups who insisted that the use of waste incineration is by law, specifically Republic Act 8745 ,or the Philippine Clean Air Act, is strictly prohibited.