As numerous man-made environmental problems are being highlighted by recent typhoons, certain long-standing issues seem to have been relegated to the sidelines. One of which is the threat of sanitary landfill operations. While landfills are huge improvements over open dumpsites or waste incineration, they can still affect people and animals living nearby, especially if operated beyond capacity.

The shutdown of the sanitary landfill in Barangay Tanza, Navotas (which serves Manila, Navotas, Pasay, Parañaque, Pasig, Malabon, and Valenzuela) due to expropriation of the land for the New Manila International Airport led to the diversion of Manila’s garbage to the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill.

But even prior to this move, residents near the sanitary landfill already consider its existence as a threat to their health and disruptive of their daily lives.

Ricky Silvestre from San Mateo, worries that while the environment is being abused, the health of the people in the community is also at stake. Posting on Facebook he says, “Panoorin na lang ba natin ang nangyayari sa bayan natin na ginagahasa ang kalikasan at KALUSUGAN natin.”

Apart from the evident stinky smell, there are unseen pollutants that contaminate both air and soil. When solid waste decomposes, landfills emit harmful gases and substances, like methane, that contribute to air pollution — 20% of the global methane production is attributed to landfills. When exposed long term or to high levels of methane, this becomes dangerous to human health, resulting in vision problems, memory loss, vomiting, and headache. The presence of sanitary landfills also poses a threat to the food supply chain as they may contain heavy metals which can contaminate the soil.

These dangers and disadvantages demand regular and effective maintenance of the landfill, else, communities living in the area are predisposed to real health risks.

Living in proximity to the sanitary landfill is also perceived to be a threat to safety from multiple perspectives. The tons of garbage collected daily in various areas in the city, including Manila, require multiple trucks making multiple trips to the landfill. Residents observed that the mere ingress and egress of trucks is becoming a danger. A reddit user shared, “Grabe ang baho and dumi ng c6 ngayon! sobrang dami ng trucks na pumapasok and lumalabas.  Wala na ba magagawa ang head office ng San Mateo? Ang delikado na e, lalo na puro kainan nadadaanan ng trucks. ang dami pang trash na nalalaglag coming from the trucks.”

Accidents in the area have been reported with the most recent, involving a garbage truck and dump truck, hurting two people. Myra Locsin, a resident, noticed that irresponsible driving and carelessness of drivers do not only increase the chance of an accident but also allow garbage to drop along the road. “Grabe sana naman pag isipan nyo yan kawawa ang mga nakatira sa San Mateo lalo na na malapit kami dyan minsan yung mga driver ng truck ng basura mga walang pakialam sa mga dala nilang basura sa sobrang bilis nila magmaneho nagkadatapon tapon na ang basura nila ang baho halos dumidikit sa ilong ang baho”

Rachel Brinquis, also from San Mateo, feels that the sanitary landfill disrupts their daily lives. She shares, “Tuwing umuuwi po ako from qc around 5:30 to 6pm ang daming naming kasabay pababa ng Batasan-San Mateo road na malalaking truck ng mga basura from Parañaque, Caloocan at Valenzuela. Every day yan.  Bukod sa mabaho na, nakakatakot pa kasi sobrang lalaki ng truck. Sana naman wag ng madagdagan pa.”

On reddit users are cursing in frustration. “Sana naman sa hating gabi na lang sila maghakot at magdeliver ng mga basura. Just yesterday, there were at least 5 trucks from Caloocan adding to the congestion along Batasan road at around 5 pm. Every day, these lumbering trucks slow the traffic’s momentum at their every lane change, slow down, and delayed acceleration. T*****a tama na pls.”

The multiple issues have led some residents to organize and ask their local government for clarity on the situation. Gerwin Angcaya, who heads local group Bantay Kabundukan, Sagip Kalikasan, has been asking for a dialogue between residents and the municipal council on the issue.

In an interview with an online news outlet he says, “Ang aming grupo ay nag-iibig na makipagugnayan sa ating sangguniang bayan para po pag-usapan... itong problemang nangyayari sa aming bayan tungkol sa usaping basura. Ito po'y matinding tinututulan ng mamamayang San Mateño.”

The San Mateo area is connected to the south Sierra Madre mountain range, which also concerns the group. Per Angcaya, “Masyado na pong giniba at winasak ang ating kabundukan, ngayon po ay lumaki ka pa ang volume ng basurang itinatapon dito sa ating bayan.”

Angcaya relays the group’s unsuccessful efforts to raise the issue to local leaders ranging from the Barangay Chairman to the Mayor and is asking fellow residents to join them. “Kung ang ating lokal na pinuno ay hindi kumikilos, tayo na po ang kumilos.”

With the notable harmful impact of sanitary landfills comes the issue of sustainability. This article claims that a landfill is the “antithesis of sustainability” — not only contributing to climate change but exposing living things to real dangers such as impact to the ecosystem. The Sierra Madre mountain range, with its rich biodiversity, may be adversely affected.

On the practical side, it also impacts the economy as risks of landslides and even fire or explosion increase. Land value also depreciates when the area becomes less habitable due to the presence of a landfill.

The real challenge for the government and the people is to look for more sustainable means not only to dispose of garbage but also to ensure that less garbage is generated.