DENR closes Pangasinan sanitary landfill

MANILA, Philippines — A sanitary landfill in Pangasinan has been closed.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau Ilocos regional director Maria Dorica Naz-Hipe and other DENR officials served the closure order of the facility in Barangay Catablan in Urdaneta City on Friday.

The 18,000-square meter sanitary landfill was ordered closed in January for violating the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and Philippine Clean Water Act.

DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny Antiporda, who inspected the site on Jan. 27, gave the management of the landfill until last month to make improvements, such as the construction of a water treatment facility.

However, a follow-up inspection on March 1 showed that no action was taken by the city government.

“With the order of DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu to close all dumps by end of March, the demand for sanitary landfills increased in several areas across the country. Sanitary landfills are a better alternative to open dumps, but this does not guarantee that they will be given the permit to operate right away,” Antiporda said.

The DENR said 169 dumps are still operating across the country. A total of 107 have been closed.