All Metro Manila areas record 'good' air quality a month after Navotas landfill fire — DENR
By Jel Santos
A month after the fire at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill reportedly broke out, all monitored areas in Metro Manila recorded “good” air quality levels for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Sunday, May 10.
Citing PM2.5 data as of 12 noon, the DENR said Air Quality Index (AQI) readings across the metropolis remained within the “good” category.
Among the monitored areas, Valenzuela logged the highest AQI at 46, followed by Malabon City at 44, though both remained within the “good” classification.
Other monitoring stations recorded lower AQI readings, including Makati and Pateros at 26, Marikina CEMO and Quezon City-Ateneo at 26, Marikina-Parang at 25, Mandaluyong and San Juan City at 23, Caloocan (North) at 20, Muntinlupa at 18, Parañaque and Pasay at 15, and Taguig at 11.
The agency said AQI readings ranging from 0 to 50 are classified as “good,” indicating minimal or no health risk to the general public.
The latest readings reflected a significant improvement from air quality conditions recorded in Metro Manila in the days following the landfill fire.
On April 19, only four cities in Metro Manila recorded “good” to “fair” air quality levels, while most areas fell under “unhealthy” to “acutely unhealthy” categories following the fire at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill, based on DENR data.
At the time, Makati City logged a “good” AQI of 30, while Taguig City recorded “good” air quality at 50 AQI. Muntinlupa City and Mandaluyong City, meanwhile, registered “fair” air quality levels at 66 and 68 AQI, respectively.
DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna previously said the agency is working with the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to assess the next legal steps that may be taken regarding the landfill operations.
He said documents pertaining to the Navotas landfill have already been submitted to authorities for review.
On April 10, a fire broke out at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill, triggering weeks of smoke emissions and elevated PM2.5 levels across several parts of Metro Manila.