Atienza urged: Probe collapse of Rizal landfill's border wall

MANILA, Philippines - A local waste and pollution watchdog called on Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza yesterday to conduct a “full-scale” investigation into the recent collapse of a portion of the border wall of the 19-hectare sanitary landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal amid incessant rains.

The EcoWaste Coalition pressed Atienza, who also chairs the inter-agency National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), to uncover the truth behind the incident, which it said “evokes memories of the tragic Payatas garbage-slide in July 2000.”

“We call on the NSWMC to get to the bottom of the frightful breach in the boundary wall of the Rizal provincial dump that sent trash cascading down the nearby creek,” said Romy Hidalgo of EcoWaste’s task force against dumps and landfills.

“What we saw on television and newspapers, which looked like a ruptured garbage tomb, raised a number of issues as regards to the location and operation of the disposal facility,” he said.

Hidalgo wondered how such an incident could happen to a much-trumpeted engineered facility that has received a seal of approval from the DENR and NSWMC.

“Given the boom in landfill construction all over the country, we could not help but question the reliability of the rules governing disposal sites in terms of ensuring public health and safety,” he said.

Hidalgo was referring to the implementation of DENR Administrative Order No. 10-2006 or the Guidelines on the Categorized Final Disposal Facilities signed by former DENR secretary and NSWMC chairman Angelo Reyes.

The administrative order specifies the development and operating requirements for sanitary landfills.

“The incident is just the tip of the iceberg. Wait until the leachate takes its heavy toll on the water supply and the people’s health,” said Rene Pineda, president of the Citizens’ Organization Concerned with Advocating Philippine Environmental Sustainability.

Last Wednesday night, part of the border wall of the sanitary landfill in Sitio Lukutan, Barangay San Isidrio in Rodriguez town collapsed apparently due to non-stop rains.

EcoWaste said a portion of the perimeter wall caved in and unleashed trash into an adjacent creek.

EcoWaste has been urging the government to enforce waste prevention, reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting programs with the people’s involvement and support to avoid health and environmental hazards of dumps and landfills.

To date, EcoWaste said there are 26 sanitary landfills operating in the country, while 25 more are reportedly undergoing construction and 349 sites are being proposed for such facilities.

Despite being outlawed though, a total of 1,235 open and “controlled” dumps continue to operate in various parts of the country, based on the second quarter report of the NSWMC, EcoWaste said.

“We advise local officials to inspect disposal sites within their jurisdictions and conduct remedial steps to avert a Payatas-like avalanche from happening during the rainy season,” it said.