The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Sunday that all open dumpsites in the Philippines have been closed down.
The agency said in a statement that it completed the closure of the 335 open dumpsites across the country following the strict enforcement of Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
Open dumping of waste is prohibited under RA 9003. The law provides that waste should be disposed of in a materials recovery facility or sanitary landfill.
“With the closure of all open dumpsites, LGUs have the option to bring their solid waste to existing sanitary landfills (SLF) or to a residual containment area,” the DENR said.
The agency also noted that local government units can utilize a residual containment area as temporary storage of their wastes while negotiating an agreement with another LGU operating a sanitary landfill.
According to the DENR, the country has 237 operational sanitary landfills, eleven of which are under construction.
“Local government units may ask the technical assistance of EMB (Environmental Management Bureau) on how to conduct the Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan for the respective dumpsites in their areas of jurisdiction,” said DENR Undersecretary Benny D. Antiporda.
