DENR orders landfill operators to submit contingency plans, for LGUS to cease ops of open dumpsites

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Sunday it has required sanitary landfill (SLF) operators to submit contingency plans that will address fire incidents and other emergency situations in waste disposal facilities.

The DENR also reminded local government units (LGUs) to immediately cease operations of open and controlled dumpsites to protect nearby communities.

In a memorandum dated April 22, OIC Assistant Secretary for Environment and concurrent Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director Jacqueline Caancan instructed all EMB regional directors to require SLF operators within their jurisdictions to submit contingency plans for fire and other emergency incidents within 15 days from receipt.

The agency said the said 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; coordination mechanisms with LGUs, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and other agencies; evacuation and public safety procedures; and post-incident rehabilitation and environmental mitigation measures."

This after the department said it conducted a nationwide audit of sanitary landfills.

The EMB emphasized that preparedness is critical to minimizing risks to public health, property, and the environment, especially under extreme heat conditions.

The Bureau reminded local governments that 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 (SCRP).”

For closed dumpsites, EMB regional offices were instructed to verify the status of rehabilitation, take appropriate action based on findings, and provide technical assistance to ensure compliance with national closure and rehabilitation guidelines.

DENR said 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.”

“DENR’s core responsibility is to regulate, enforce, and ensure compliance with RA 9003 by landfill operators, from approving their plans to auditing their operations and issuing penalties when they violate standards,” it said in a statement.

On April 10, a fire broke out at the non-operational Navotas Sanitary Landfill in Barangay Tanza that lasted for more than a week and posed a health hazard to Metro Manila and nearby provinces due to the thick, acrid smoke, which may cause respiratory problems. —RF, GMA News