The Department of Environment and Natural Resources wants more engineered sanitary landfills before 2022 to address the “growing” garbage woes.
Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny Antiporda said that sanitary landfill is the primary long-term method of solid waste disposal allowed under Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
Under the law, sanitary landfill is required in any LGU as a means of safe disposal of untreated solid waste or resource recovery residuals.
He said the number of sanitary landfills in the country remains small even after 20 years since RA 9003 took effect.
“What we need in this country is about 1,700 sanitary landfills for all the municipalities and cities. But, sad to say, we only have 108 as of the moment and this number could even decrease in the future,” he said.
“Our sanitary landfills are already getting filled. What happens next is some might go back to open dumpsite, which is illegal under RA 9003. We will not allow this to happen,” he said.
He gave the assurance that Secretary Roy Cimatu would do everything to ensure the establishment of more sanitary landfills nationwide before the term of President Rodrigo Duterte ends in 2022.