The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shut down on Tuesday, Feb. 24, the operation of a landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal after a trash slide that left at least one individual dead.
The DENR, through its, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), issued a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against Green Leap Solid Waste Management, Inc. for the sanitary landfill in Sitio Lukutan Munti, Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal.
“The CDO covers the Phase 5 of the SLF covering approximately 6 hectares,” the DENR-EMB said in a statement.
According to the agency, about 420,000 cubic meters of waste eroded from the active tipping area during the trash slide that occurred on Feb. 20.
During DENR’s follow-up inspection on Feb. 23, authorities discovered “several operational lapses, erosion of the active tipping area, foul odor from exposed waste, and a visible crack in the adjacent bench waste that threatens further collapse.”
“Multiple violations of conditions in the proponent’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) were also documented,” the agency added.
As a result, DENR-EMB CALABARZON ordered the immediate cessation of all landfill operations in Phase 5, “except for emergency and remedial activities such as retrieval operations, slope stabilization, debris clearing, and installation of engineering controls to prevent further erosion.”
The agency stressed that a strict “no-entry” policy has also been implemented to protect the public and prevent interference with rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
“Our priority is to ensure the immediate stabilization of the site to prevent further environmental degradation and to hold the proponent strictly accountable for these operational lapses. We will not tolerate negligence that puts the environment and public safety at risk,” DENR-CALABARZON Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria stated.
The DENR said the proponent was advised to transfer the active tipping area from Phase 5 to another portion of the SLF to ensure stability and safety.
The environment department also required Green Leap Solid Waste Management, Inc. to submit a detailed report within five days and present its corrective actions during a Technical Conference scheduled on Feb. 25 at 10 a.m.
“Failure to attend will be considered a waiver of the right to be heard, prompting DENR-EMB to proceed with appropriate legal action based on available evidence,” the agency said.