DENR issues guidebook for safe closure of disposal sites

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) released recently a guidebook for the safe closure of disposal sites. It was prepared to avoid negative environmental impact and risks attributed to continuous operation of dumpsites and to ensure that the public health and the environment are protected.

Published by the Office of the Secretariat of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the guidebook prescribes necessary systems for the safe closure of open dumpsites or controlled dump facilities. It likewise enumerates appropriate engineering measures on post closure management as well as recommendations on post closure land use of all disposal types.

The proper closure of dumps and disposal facilities is essential to the protection of public health and the environment since abandoned or improperly closed dumpsites pose a continuing environmental and health hazard for the communities where they are located.

The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, also known as Republic Act No. 9003 (RA 9003), mandates the closure of dumpsites or their conversion to controlled dumps within three years from the time this act took effect on Feb. 16, 2001, and, the closure of controlled dumps three years after.

The guidebook is available for free at the NSWMC secretariat at the 2nd Flr., HRD Building, DENR Compound, Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City with contact numbers (632) 9202252 / 9202279 / 9254796 / 9254797 local 3.