WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH SANITARY LANDFILLS

WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH SANITARY LANDFILLS

As of 2022, the Philippines had 290 sanitary landfills (SLFs). That number may sound impressive until you consider that as of June 30, 2024, there are 149 cities and 1,493 municipalities, totaling 1,642 local government units (LGUs). If we assume that these 1,642 LGUs are relying on those 290 SLFs, that gives us a troubling ratio of about six LGUs per landfill.

But there’s a bigger problem: as of 2022, 1,580 dumpsites—which are already illegal—were still in existence. This raises a crucial question: are LGUs really using sanitary landfills, or are many of them still dumping waste illegally?

Consider the case of Laguna Lake, once a dumping ground for waste from several LGUs. While significant efforts have been made to stop this practice, are we truly serious about banning dumpsites? If we are, why are there still so many, and why do some LGUs continue to flout the law?

If we are genuinely committed to building more landfills, why are there so few around? Perhaps the culprit is the law itself, which offers LGUs too many alternatives to constructing their own sanitary landfills. The options include:

1.   Clustering with other LGUs to share a landfill.

2.   Using existing private or government-run SLFs.

3.   Adopting alternative waste disposal technologies.

These choices, while seemingly practical, raise more concerns. How does the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) monitor the choices made by LGUs? How does the government ensure that LGUs are not simply resorting to illegal dumpsites instead of the other options?

The consequences of inadequate waste disposal are severe. Plastics and other garbage get carried by floods into rivers, lakes, and eventually the oceans, worsening the problem of microplastics. This is an environmental crisis that requires urgent action.

Could the DENR sue LGUs for continuing to use dumpsites? Would it be more practical to require each LGU to have its own sanitary landfill? And if cost is an issue, could the national government subsidize the construction of these landfills for the LGUs?

A look at some of the existing sanitary landfills in the country shows just how limited our resources are:

1.   Calanasan Sanitary Landfill – Calanasan, Apayao

2.   Pudtol Sanitary Landfill – Pudtol, Apayao

3.   Sanitary Landfill Facility – Category I Project – Alfonso Lista, Ifugao

4.   PhilEco – Navotas City, Metro Manila

5.   Bacarra Sanitary Landfill – Bacarra, Ilocos Norte

6.   Banna Sanitary Landfill – Banna, Ilocos Norte

Clearly, with only 290 SLFs nationwide, the current setup is insufficient. We need more landfills, stricter enforcement of waste management laws, and greater accountability from LGUs. The national government must ensure that waste disposal laws are not just written but implemented—because the garbage problem will not solve itself.

Are we ready to take responsibility for our waste, or will we keep turning a blind eye until our environment pays the ultimate price?

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

03-16-2025

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