DENR shuts down old Davao landfill for good

DAVAO CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in the Davao Region, ordered the permanent shutdown of the old sanitary landfill in Barangay New Carmen on Friday, following the availability of a new waste disposal facility capable of managing the city’s estimated 750 tons of daily garbage output.

The DENR stated that no additional waste disposal activities would be permitted at the current landfill. The facility’s operations were temporarily halted on May 21, one day after a large garbage collapse buried 15 homes in a nearby community, leaving two people dead, two injured, and one still unaccounted for.

Prior to the trash slide, the environment agency had already cited the city government for several violations of landfill regulations.

READ: Baste Duterte blames DENR for Davao City’s worsening garbage crisis

The suspension led to a worsening garbage crisis in this city of nearly two million people and sparked a controversy between the agency and Mayor Sebastian Duterte after he identified the DENR regional office in Lanang District as a garbage collection point.

Prior to the trash slide, the environment agency had already cited the city government for several violations of landfill regulations.

The suspension led to a worsening garbage crisis in this city of nearly two million people and sparked a controversy between the agency and Mayor Sebastian Duterte after he identified the DENR regional office in Lanang District as a garbage collection point.

Structurally ready

As of Thursday, the interim cell “is complete and structurally ready to receive waste,” the agency added.

The interim cell forms part of the new sanitary landfill being developed by the city government.

With the permanent closure of the old landfill, only activities related to “critical mitigation and rehabilitation works” will be allowed at the site, according to the DENR.

The city government has been given 30 days to submit a safe closure and rehabilitation plan for the old landfill. The plan will be implemented under the agency’s strict monitoring “to ensure long-term public safety and environmental sustainability.”

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Read Next

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.